LIFE GOALS OF INDIAN AND AMERICAN-COLLEGE STUDENTS

The Life Goals Inventory was administered to 170 Indian college students to explore how the students perceive their future in terms of vocational, social, and personal goals. Based on results, it was observed that many social factors have been instrumental in influencing the life goals, particularly, the vocational goals of the students. Results also indicate that life goals can be agespecific. Subjects are found to value the traditional social-personal goals like "becoming a good husband or wife" and "becoming good parents." A comparison of the perceived life goals of Indian college students with American students indicate that Indian females perceive the same goals as their American counterparts, for example, "becoming a good mother" and "becoming a good wife." Indian males share economic, political, and some traditional goals with their American counterparts. Findings have been interpreted in terms of social and cultural conditions as they affect life goals. © 1990.