FANTASY NEED ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE - A ROLE ANALYSIS

Social status affects fantasy n Ach and performance, and may underlie their joint relationship, shaped and maintained by social control mechanisms, role conflict, and resultant anxiety. Ss high in n Ach perceive themselves as normally and appropriately overcoming challenging odds in achievement situations, and Ss low in n Ach undertaking unchallenging work. Each prefers and strives hardest in task situations consonant with his self-perceptions, and actively avoids role-inappropriate situations and behavior. Evidence supports the generalization that fantasy content reflects most prominently Ss' characteristic, contemporaneous nonfantasy activities, concerns, and social milieu. The role analysis provides a new theoretical framework at its own level of analysis, and suggests modifications of the motivational theory of achievement behavior. (87 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.