Abstract

ALVAREZ, Jesús Francisco Laborín et al. Orientation and avoidance achievement in a northeastern Brazilian population. PsicoUSF [online]. 2006, vol.11, n.2, pp.207-217. ISSN 1413-8271.

An adjusted version of the Mexican scale of achievement and avoidance orientation was used in a population of Paraíba to obtain it's construct validity and also the differences related to gender, age, religion, political position, school age, and income. A sample of 600 people (equal number of male and female subjects) was used and divided into three groups according to their ages: 14-22, 23-35, 36-60 years old. The factor analysis with Oblimin rotation presented three components for achievement orientation and two other ones for avoidance achievement. Women presented higher scores for insecurity towards achievement and lower scores for competitiveness and work. As for the age group differences, youngsters presented higher scores for the avoidance achievement and competitiveness dimensions. Besides that, the subjects who attend the last grades of elementary school had higher scores for competitiveness and also for insecurity toward achievement. As far as single-married significant differences in scores could be found.

Keywords : Achievement orientation and failure avoidance; Personality; Psychometrics; Northeast of Brazil.

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