Approaching Achievement Motivation - Comparing Factor Analysis and Cluster Analysis

What do students of different countries think about achievement related topics? Results form a survey of students are presented and special attention is given to motivational structures of male and female students as well as students of economy and social sciences. The survey was done with students of Germany and Slovenia. In the first part of the paper, dimensions of achievement are described by factor analyses resulting in the three theoretically postulated dimensions competition, mastery, and work for the whole sample. These dimensions are of differential relevance for males and females as well as economy versus social science students. In the second part, based on cluster analysis a typology of respondents is developed characterizing students of the different subgroups by their special achievement motivation profile. Both approaches to achievement motivation result in comparable dimensional and typological structures.