Citation

Levine R, Reis HT, Sue E, Turner G. Sex Roles 1976; 2(4): 389-398.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF00302807

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Sex differences in self-attributions following winning or losing in a highly competitive achievement-type situation were investigated. Subjects competed in same- or mixed-sex pairs on an anagram task which was prearranged in difficulty so that one subject would clearly defeat his/her partner. A significant sex of subject × outcome interaction emerged. Males were more likely to attribute their successes to skill and failures to luck. Females attributed both their successes and failures to a relatively equal amount of skill. This self-defensive bias in males was interpreted as indicating a greater fear of failure in males. The relatively rational and objective attributions of females did not support a female fear of success hypothesis. No significant interactions with sex of partner on this variable were found. Finally, subjects were asked to rate their opponents on a series of personality, attractiveness, and "happiness" dimensions. Neither males nor females were differentially evaluated as a function of winning or losing.