Fear of Success among Students – Range and Predictors

Abstract

The paper presents the results of research into fear of success in Polish students. The participants were 208 university students of psychology, education, political science, and physical education at the School of Physical Education. Horner’s projective method (1972, 1978) was used. The analysed variables were sex, study major, average grades, locus of control, Machiavellianism, and masculinity and femininity. Fear of success was observed in more than half of the investigated students – 62% of men and 48% of women. Multiple regression analyses showed that masculinity and Machiavellianism were the best predictors of fear of success. Fear of success occurred the least frequently in the students of physical education. The regression model explained 11% of the fear of success variables.