Sex differences on the Personal Orientation Inventory

Differences on the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) between 816 male and 408 female entering freshmen were examined. Females scored consistently and significantly more in the purported self-actualizing direction on the POI scales and subscales than males in this study. Special emphasis was placed upon the pattern of significant scale differences in an effort to derive the meaning of such male-female differences for these and other data. One interpretation is that females may be seeking a college education for more self-actualizing purposes than males. It is suggested that the consistency of such differences be further explored and that sex differences on the POI be considered in future studies of self-actualization.