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The theory of causal attribution was applied to the problem of mathematics avoidance or the under-enrollment of females in nonrequired high school mathematics courses. It was hypothesized that sex differences in attributions of performance in mathematics would parallel previously documented sex differences in attributions in other achievement areas. Twelve hundred and twenty-four high school females (N=647) and males (N=577) took the Mathematics Attribution Scale and a test of mathematics achievement. As predicted, males and females differed in the strength of various attributions used to explain successful and unsuccessful performance in mathematics. Further, it was determined that sex and achievement in mathematics contribute separately to the variance in attribution patterns.

Males, more than females, elect advanced mathematics courses. This differential in the number of mathematics courses elected has been cited as a major explanation of sex-related differences in adults' mathematics performance and in their participation in mathematics-related careers. Knowledge about some of the variables that enter into the decision to persist in the study of mathematics is essential for those who are interested in encouraging females, as well as males, to adequately prepare themselves in mathematics. This study identified some attitudinal and attributional variables that relate to the election of mathematics courses by females and males. A small set of variables was found to explain some of the variance in female and male mathematics plans. These results might help in understanding why females do not continue in as large a proportion as males to elect mathematics and/or to enter mathematics-related careers.