Assessing gender-related differences in achievement orientation using two different achievement scales

Area of Science:

• Psychological assessment
• Personality measurement
• Achievement motivation

Background:

• The Adjective Check List (ACL) and Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) achievement scales are consistently found to be uncorrelated.
• This lack of correlation has raised questions regarding the validity of both psychological measures.
• Previous research has not fully reconciled the independent nature of these scales with their potential to predict performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between the Adjective Check List (ACL) and Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) achievement scales.
• To provide evidence that these independent measures can predict the same performance criteria.
• To explore the differential predictive validity of the ACL and EPPS for men and women.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of performance criteria predicted by the ACL and EPPS achievement scales.
• Examination of the correlations between the ACL and EPPS achievement scales.
• Topical examination of each measure's relationships to other psychological scales.

Main Results:

• The Adjective Check List (ACL) and Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) achievement scales, while independent, predict similar performance outcomes.
• The EPPS demonstrated predictive validity for male performance outcomes.
• The ACL demonstrated predictive validity for female performance outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The orthogonality of the ACL and EPPS achievement scales does not invalidate either measure.
• Differential predictive validity for men and women suggests distinct underlying constructs measured by the ACL and EPPS.
• Further examination of scale relationships provides a rationale for the observed independence and predictive utility.