Determinants of achievement motivation for women in developing countries

A number of studies on women compared with men in Iran (as an example of a fast developing country) relating to achievement and vocational behavior showed results quite similar to those reported on American women. Iranian women emphasized external attribution of cause of success/failure, and were less sex discriminatory than men. Femininity scores correlated with social desirability scores, and women who scored higher on masculinity also had higher risk taking scores. Socioeconomic background besides sex differences affected vocational aspiration. It is suggested that while the psychological make-up of women in developing and developed countries might be similar, the different social environment and concrete opportunities available to women in different societies more significantly affect their actual vocational behavior.