PerceptualandMotor Skiik, 1991, 72, 1307-1315. O Perceptual and Motor Skills 1991 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ACHIEVEMENT AND AFFILIATION NEEDS AND SEX-ROLE ORIENTATION OF COLLEGE WOMEN WHOSE FATHERS WERE ABSENT FROM HOME ' SHANETTE M. HARRIS STEVEN R. GOLD University of Tennessee Northern Illinois Uniuersify BRUCE B. HENDERSON Western Carolina Universify Summary.-This study examined the influence of fathers' absence on the gender- role orientation, achievement, and affiliation of middle-class, college-aged women and whether these effects operate similarly for white and black women. The subjects were classified as father-absent (34 between 0 to 6 years of age, early absence; 29 between 7 to 12 years of age, late absence) or father-present, based upon written descriptions of their households. Over-all, 80 father-absent subjects were not higher in achievement and lower in affiliation than 191 father-present women; however, black women whose fathers died had significantly Lgher daydream achievement scores than hose with fathers present or white women. Father-absent women were not significantly more masculine and androgynous than father-present women. However, 12 black women whose fathers were dead had significantly higher masculinity scores than the other t h e e groups. The implications of these results are discussed. There is considerable evidence which suggests that fathers and mothers interact in different ways with their children. Studies have shown that par- ents' gender influences play interactions with preschool children. For ex- ample, Langlois and Downs (1980) reported that parents of both sexes are likely to be approving and supportive of daughters in play situations. They also reported that fathers tend to reinforce stereotypically gender-appropriate behaviors of preschool children. Frankel and Rollins (1983) observed that parents interacted with school age children in a similar differential manner. Specifically, parents provided feedback to daughters in a more cooperative and concrete way than they did for sons. They also provided more feedback to the daughters than to the sons about performance. In contrast, parents taught their sons problem-solving strategies and were more directive as well as more approving or disapproving of their sons than of their daughters. Bacon and Ashmore (1985) reported that parents categorize descriptions of sons' and daughters1 social behavior as a function of their gender and the gender of the perceived child. Siegal (1987) reviewed 39 studies of parental socialization of children and reported that fathers interacted with their sons and daughters in different ways. Differences for mothers were relatively few 'Address correspondence to Dr. S. M. Harris, 106 Claxton Building, Department of Educational & Counseling Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-3400.