Cynical boys, determined girls? Success and failure anxiety in British adolescents.

Fifteen-year-old British adolescents of both sexes were presented with success or failure story cues, in sex-appropriate and sex-inappropriate fields of endeavour. Responses were analysed to establish the extent and nature of 'motive to avoid success'. The effects of cue variables (sex appropriateness, success versus failure), sex-role attitude, locus of control, social class and maternal employment were explored. It was found that boys were generally more negative, predicting failure and demonstrating anxiety in various ways. Girls were generally more positive, more likely to predict success outcomes, and tended to treat the obstacles to girls' achievement as challenges to be overcome. They tended to show a realistic appreciation of the problems likely to be encountered rather than anxiety or a motive to avoid success.