SELF-ESTEEM, NEED FOR ACHIEVEMENT AND SEX-ROLE ORIENTATION AMONG KIBBUTZ AND URBAN MEN AND WOMEN

The study compared the academic aspirations and several personality ch aracteristics of young Kibbutz and urban males and females. One hundre d and twenty 18- to 22-year-old Kibbutz and urban males and females co mpleted the Rosenberg global self-esteem scale and the Fleming and Cou rtney scale which includes self-regard, social confidence, academic se lf-esteem, physical appearance and physical abilities. In addition the y completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory, and need for achievement inven tory. The results indicated that, as predicted, Kibbutz females had si gnificantly lower academic aspirations and lower academic self-esteem and need for achievement than the other three groups. Kibbutz individu als also had lower social self-esteem than urban individuals. Only sex differences were found on global self-esteem as well as on femininity /masculinity. The results support the view that self-esteem is a multi dimensional construct and suggest that socialization on the Kibbutz af fects not only females' academic aspirations, but also their fundament al beliefs in their intellectual abilities either. directly or indirec tly.