Prior studies suggest that sex-role stereotypes influence responses to Horner's fear of success cue. This study investigates stereotypes about both sex roles and achievement settings. One hundred sixty college males and females wrote stories to different cues, then rated the masculinity-femininity of their story characters. Both "John and "Anne" are rated more "masculine" as medical students than in a neutral setting. Anne is more feminine than John in the neutral setting but equally masculine as a medical student. However, Anne's success is not regarded as maladaptive, but "competent". Clearly Horner's cue reflects stereotypes; a more ambiguous cue might assess motives more effectively. (Author)