Deci and Ryan's (1975, 1980) cognitive evaluation theory viewed intrinsic motivation as a function of perceived competence and personal causation. Deci and Ryan also proposed that people tend to perceive competitive situations as controlling. Gender differences were used by Deci and Olson (1989) to explain the findings by Ryan and Deci (1986) that males evidenced more intrinsic motivation following losing and females evidenced more intrinsic motivation following winning. This study replicated the Ryan and Deci (1986) study in a noninteractive competitive situation. If results are consistent with Deci and Olson's (1989) interpretation, then persistence at the task should be highest for females who won and males who lost and reported interest in the task should be higher for females than for males regardless of competition outcome. Subjects were 20 male and 20 female college students who completed a puzzle-solving task in which the outcome was manipulated. Both males and females interpreted the situation as being competitive with no significant differences related to gender. Both genders reported feeling competent after winning and incompetent after losing. Males who lost and females who won persisted at the task significantly longer than did males who won and females who lost. Males, however, reported that the task was more interesting than did females in both the win and lose conditions. (NB)