Calculated Avoidance: Math Anxiety Predicts Math Avoidance in Effort-Based Decision-Making

Choe, Kyoung Whan; Jenifer, Jalisha B.; Rozek, Christopher S.; Berman, Marc G.; Beilock, Sian L.

doi:10.31234/osf.io/afj37

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…While it is unclear when the onset of MA begins, or if this is different for everyone or based on circumstance, Hembree (1990) suggests that MA peaks at Grade 9 of 10 and levels off thereafter. This study and another by Choe et. al.…”

Section: Introduction and Past Researchsupporting

confidence: 76%

Investigating Mathematics Anxiety over Time in University Engineering Students

Levere

Kahlon

2019

IJLTER

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In this paper we investigate the presence of math anxiety (MA) among University Engineering students at all levels of undergraduate study. In an effort to assess the presence and severity of MA over the course of an undergraduate degree, as well as to quantify the number of highly math anxious students in this STEM discipline, a 29-question survey was conducted in each of five levels of undergraduate Engineering students. Using non-parametric statistical methods such as Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests as well as pairwise proportion comparisons, MA was compared across years of study. Utilizing existing anxiety classifications of Math Evaluation Anxiety (MEA), Learning Mathematics Anxiety (LMA) and Numerical Anxiety (NA), it was found that MEA showed the highest anxiety scores, while LMA and NA remained at or below a neutral anxiety score in all years of study. MEA questions related to anticipation of evaluation and the receipt of grades revealed the highest scores and the greatest discrepancy in anxiety by year (with Year 1 students more highly anxiously than later years in nearly all cases). Although earlier research suggests that MA tapers off by grade 10, this research suggests that while first-year university students exhibit low levels of LMA and NA, they continue to exhibit high levels of MEA. This result may be in part due to the level of questions on traditional MA assessment questionnaires addressing lower level mathematical concepts (such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). Since students gain comfort and mastery of concepts as they use them more frequently, this study suggests that such metrics for MA must be adjusted in order to accurately assess students as they progress through later years of study.

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Section: Introduction and Past Researchsupporting

confidence: 76%

Investigating Mathematics Anxiety over Time in University Engineering Students

Levere

Kahlon

2019

IJLTER

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“…Both theorists and practitioners may find it vital to determine whether gender differences in math anxiety occur or not in young children. One of the purported reasons for women "escaping" from STEM sciences is math anxiety (Choe et al, 2019). In accordance with the obtained results, math anxiety starts at an early school age and is higher among girls than boys.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

More Evidence that Math Anxiety is Specific to Math in Young Children: The Correlates of the Math Anxiety Questionnaire for Children (MAQC)

Szczygieł¹

2020

iejee

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Although interest in math anxiety in young children has recently increased, the results of previous studies on math anxiety correlates are inconsistent. The article presents the results of two studies conducted among early school-age learners (6-11 years) where the Math Anxiety Questionnaire for Children (MAQC) was used. The results indicate that the MAQC score (a) positively and moderately/strongly correlates with math anxiety scores obtained with other scales, (b) positively and mainly moderately correlates with general and test anxiety, (c) and negatively and weakly/moderately correlates with math achievement. Negative, weak, and significant relationships between math anxiety and math achievement occur even if general and test anxiety are controlled. Moreover, the results of the group comparison test show that children with a high level of math self-esteem have lower math anxiety than children with medium math self-esteem and this effect is large. Children with medium and high Polish language self-esteem do not differ from each other in math anxiety. It may be concluded that math anxiety in young children is a specific kind of anxiety, and its correlates are similar to those in secondary school-age children, adolescents, and adults.

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“…Several, non‐mutually exclusive mechanisms may explain the observed negative relation between teachers' math anxiety and children's math learning in the context of children's math learning at school. First, higher math anxious teachers may provide less overall math instruction than lower math anxious teachers, reflecting the general tendency of math anxious adults to avoid math activities (Choe et al, 2019; Hembree, 1990). Second, teachers' math anxiety may be associated with lower quality math instruction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elementary school teachers' math anxiety and students' math learning: A large‐scale replication

Schaeffer

Rozek

Maloney

et al. 2021

Developmental Science

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Children's early math knowledge is critical to their later academic achievement, not only in math but also more broadly (Duncan et al., 2007). In attempts to understand how to effectively support children's math achievement, researchers often focus on the math content that children encounter and the quality of their instruction.However, teachers' attitudes about math (e.g., teachers' expectations for their students' success) might also influence children's math achievement (Gershenson et al., 2016;Rosenthal & Jacobson, 1968).In this paper, we explore whether one attitude in particular, teachers' math anxiety, is associated with worse student math learning in elementary school, and whether the association between teachers' math anxiety and students' math learning varies by student gender.Math anxiety is characterized by feelings of fear and apprehen-

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Calculated Avoidance: Math Anxiety Predicts Math Avoidance in Effort-Based Decision-Making

Cited by 8 publications

References 32 publications

Investigating Mathematics Anxiety over Time in University Engineering Students

Investigating Mathematics Anxiety over Time in University Engineering Students

More Evidence that Math Anxiety is Specific to Math in Young Children: The Correlates of the Math Anxiety Questionnaire for Children (MAQC)

Elementary school teachers' math anxiety and students' math learning: A large‐scale replication

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