Differential Educational Aspiration Levels in a Sample of Undergraduate Health Majors

Motive to avoid success (M-s) describes the inner conflict that high-achieving females experience when they are confronted with academic success. Little research has been done on M-s in a predominantly female occupation. Evidence of the trait was detected in a sample of 462 female students at the associate degree and bachelor's degree levels of the medical laboratory profession when they were compared with 118 male peers. An academic variable (high school rank) and two motivational variables (idealized and realistic degree aspiration) were employed. Counseling techniques and recommended areas of future M-s research are presented.