Successful females: Print media profiles and their implications

The media are widely recognized as a powerful determinant of attitudes. They help shape the social environment in which personal and professional development take place. This paper is concerned with the way outstanding women are portrayed by the Australian print media and examines whether such portrayals reflect a government-sponsored debate to gain wider community support for its proposals to outlaw discriminatory practices against women. Of interest are the range of achievements singled out, the manner in which successful females are depicted, and whether any changes in these aspects have occurred over a two-year period. The findings are discussed within the general framework of the expectancy value theory of achievement motivation, with specific reference to the fear of success construct.