Goals of Male and Female College Students: Do Traditional Sex Differences Still Exist?

Goldberg, Andrea Schlissel; Shiflett, Samuel

Importance ratings of reasons for attending college were obtained from male and female undergraduates. Responses were compared for sex differences and were compared to the responses of subjects in the Constantinople (1967) study. The picture of college students that emerged is very different from those of previous studies. Current females did not emphasize career goals less, nor social goals more, than males. Current males were more interested in social aspects of college than were their male predecessors. Male and female concepts of success seemed to differ. To females challenge and accomplishment were most important; to males, complying with parental pressures and economic success were most important.

STUDENT aspirations; GENDER differences (Psychology) in adolescence; COLLEGE students; COLLEGE graduates; GOAL (Psychology); LEVEL of aspiration; MOTIVATION (Psychology); SEX differences (Biology); ADOLESCENT psychology

Sex Roles, 1981, Vol 7, Issue 12, p1213

0360-0025

Academic Journal

10.1007/BF00287973