Gender differences in value orientations and motivation among university students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in student's value orientations and the role of parental educational influence, specifically the question whether those affect the level of undergraduates' academic motivation. The Work Importance Study and questionnaires assessing the professional values and academic motivation were administered to university students (208), males and females from SouthWest University of Blagoevgrad. The results showed that there were gender differences in social orientation. Women scored higher on social values than men did. Among the value orientations, self-orientation and material orientation were found as great importance, predicting university students' expressed choice for their selfactualization.