The Impact of Mathematics Anxiety on Primary School Children’s Working Memory

Abstract

While there is little doubt that there is a connection between mathematics anxiety and poor mathematical performance, the direction and nature of this connection is less clear. Some researchers (e.g., Ma & Xu, 2004) have contended that poor mathematical performance directly causes mathematics anxiety. Others see a more complex relationship in which mathematics anxiety may, in part at least, cause poor mathematical performance. One possible explanation for the latter view is that mathematics anxiety leads directly to a disruption of cognitive processes such as working memory, which leads directly to poorer mathematical performance (Hopko, Ashcraft, Gute, Ruggiero, & Lewis, 1998). The working memory component most consistently associated with mathematics anxiety is the central executive (Ashcraft & Krause, 2007), although there is evidence (Miller & Bichsel, 2004) that visual-spatial working memory is impaired by mathematics anxiety. This study sought to explore the suggestion (Ashcraft & Kirk, 2001) that the mere presence of digits might trigger an anxious reaction among children reporting high levels of mathematics anxiety, leading to a decrement in working memory performance. Children of 9 and 10 years of age reported levels of mathematics anxiety and undertook two working memory tasks, one measuring central executive functioning and the other measuring visual-spatial working memory. Each working memory task was completed twice, once using letters as the to-be-remembered stimuli and again using digits. The differences in performance between the two versions of the tasks were compared with the reported levels of mathematics anxiety. The findings suggest that the presence of digits as the stimuli caused a decrement in working memory performance commensurate with the reported levels of mathematical anxiety.

Acquisition, Development and Maintenance of Maths Anxiety in Young Children

“…Maths anxiety is an emotional response that is often felt to greater extremes by those whose ability is already poor (Witt, 2012) and can lead to the avoidance of working with numbers. It is the perception of being incapable of learning and applying concepts that leads to flight responses.…”

Peningkatan Kapasitas Working Memory melalui Permainan Congklak pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar

“…Faktor kondisi kesehatan fisik, waktu tidur, situasi kelas dan posisi tempat duduk yang kurang menguntungkan juga dapat menjadi faktor penyebab kurang maksimalnya siswa dalam menunjukkan prestasi belajar di dalam kelas (Dirk & Schmiedek, 2016). Di samping itu, masalah kecemasan dan interpretasi kesulitan siswa terhadap pelajaran tertentu akan memengaruhi fluktuatif kapasitas working memory dalam bekerja secara optimal (Autin & Croizet, 2012;Witt, 2012).…”

Hubungan Antara Konsepsi Penilaian dan Kecemasan Siswa Sekolah Dasar di Kelas Matematika

“…Kecemasan matematika seringkali mengacu pada respon seseorang yang berupa kekhawatiran dan atau ketakutan ketika berhadapan dan bekerja dengan bilangan, simbol matematik, perhitungan matematik, dan memecahkan masalah matematika dalam berbagai situasi di dalam kehidupan seharihari (Ashcraft & Moore, 2009;Richardson & Suinn, 1972). Tidak hanya siswa yang berada di level pendidikan menengah hingga perguruan tinggi, beberapa peneliti juga menemukan bahwa kecemasan matematik siswa sekolah dasar memiliki korelasi negatif terhadap performa dan hasil belajar matematika (Ramirez, Gunderson, Levine, & Beilock, 2013;Witt, 2012;Wu, Barth, Amin, Malcarne, & Menon, 2012;Yüksel-Şahin, 2008). Dengan kata lain, semakin tinggi kecemasan matematik siswa sekolah dasar, maka semakin menurun hasil belajar mereka.…”