Institute for Manpower Research, Human Sciences Research Council, Private Bag X41, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.

Abstract

In this study, the way in which a need for power (n Power) was expressed by a group of 167 English-speaking South African women was examined. The possible influence of age, working patterns, and level of education was taken into acount, as were other aspects of personality, such as self-esteem, extraversion-introversion, locus of control, assertiveness, and sex-role identity. The results indicate that South African women express n Power through helping behavior as well as through femininity as a personality trait. Masculinity and extraversion (as personality traits) were related to assertiveness. A motive to fear assertiveness, defined here as a component of the power motive, was negatively related to direct assertiveness. Both a high n Power (scores above the 75th percentile) and fear of assertiveness were associated with dependency. Moderate n Power (scores between the 25th and 75th percentile) was associated with assertiveness, masculinity, and a variety of behavior patterns, indicating that if n Power is not too high, direct rather than indirect means of gaining power were possible and fear of assertiveness was absent. Age, working patterns, and level of education influenced the way in which a need for power was expressed. Comparisons with studies of American women are discussed.