Differences in goal orientations and competitive attitudes of community college students: An analysis by generation, gender, race/ethnic background, and family life cycle

This quantitative study tested whether there would be significant differences in competitiveness and goal orientation of full-time business students at Everett Community College by generation, gender, race/culture, and stage of family life cycle, and whether there would be a significant relationship between competitiveness and goal orientation. The Work Domain Goal Orientation Instrument, the Revised Competitiveness Index, and the Personal Development Competitive Attitude questionnaire were completed by 287 participants, comprising 67% of the study population. The results of one-way ANOVA partially supported the hypotheses. Multiple pairwise comparisons indicated that Generation Y and singles without children had a stronger desire to compete, both to win over others and as a personal development experience, than Baby Boomers and those in later stages of the family life cycle. Generation Y desired to compete to win over others more than Generation X. These findings contradict existing theory that Generation Y values personal development and participation over personal achievement or comparison to others and that Baby Boomers continue to be more fixated on self-improvement and individual accomplishment than other generations. Men enjoyed competition more than women, but predominantly as an opportunity for self-development rather than to win. Men had a stronger desire to avoid situations in which their competence could be disproved than women. Those born and raised in the United States, regardless of race, had a stronger desire to compete to win over others than those from other cultures. Asian/Pacific Islanders had a stronger desire to prove their competence to others than Caucasians and American Indians, regardless of the country in which they were born and raised. Since the characteristics of the study population are similar to the national profile of community colleges, the findings may be useful in understanding differences in goal orientation and competitiveness of community college students nationwide. Competing to win and competing for personal development were not found to be mutually exclusive constructs, that is, they coexisted in study participants.