Math Anxiety Michelle Lipko Wilkes University Fact or fiction? Does math anxiety in females produce fewer engineers, scientists, and doctoral candidates? Recent research supports such conclusions. Math anxiety overall causes a decline in performance when math is performed under timed, high-stakes conditions, both in laboratory tests as well as in educational settings. This means that math achievement and proficiency scores for math-anxious individuals are underestimates of true ability. The primary cognitive impact of math anxiety is on working memory. This is particularly problematic since working memory plays an important role in math performance. (Ashcraft, M. & Moore, A., 2009). Does anxiety have a direct impact on math performance? Yes, and so does memory. A recent study showed that both memory and anxiety were found to directly affect math performance. Anxiety served as a moderator of the relationship between memory and math for almost all measures of math achievement. The moderating effect of anxiety was stronger for long-term retrieval than for short-term memory. It is therefore possible to improve math performance in students with low anxiety but poor memory by improving the students’ memory strategies. (Prevatt, F., Welles, T., Li, H. & Proctor, B., 2010) What can be done to decrease math anxiety? Relatively simple changes such as encouraging students to take college preparatory and high level math courses in junior and senior high school. The completion of Algebra 2 can decrease the percentage of students dropping out of college as well as increase their ability to attain career success in both traditional and non-traditional occupations. (Shepka, J. & Keating, D., 2003) Another method of improving math performance and reducing math anxiety is to disguise math concepts when teaching them. Research on academic learning indicates that many students experience major difficulties with introductory statistics and methodology courses. However, studies have shown that when mathematical tasks are presented in domains of other disciplines such as biology or psychology, students’ performances where not thwarted. (Tomasetto, C., Matteucci, M., Carugati F., & Selleri, P., 2009) Math anxiety is most prominent among minority females who are raised in female headed households that are below the poverty level. Economic factors as well as the mother’s educational level are the primary causes for female students to experience anxiety. Girls-only instruction at the middle and secondary level has also been proven to reduce the number of females experiencing math and science anxiety. (Shapka, J.& Keating,D., 2003) In a longitudinal study of almost 800 participants, those in a girls-only classroom out performed their peers. Variables such as preexisting achievement, background, and psychological characteristics were all accounted for in this study. Interestingly, females in general perform better than males on standardized tests but do not perceive themselves as higher achievers than males. Math anxiety is not greater in females until they reach the age of fourteen. Prior to that, math anxiety between males and females is generally the same. As they aged, students of both sexes became significantly less anxious, especially those that had completed college preparatory courses. (Shapka, J.D. & Keating, D.P., 2003 ). References Ashcraft,M.H. & Moore, A.M. (2009). Mathematics Anxiety and the Affective Drop in Performance. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 27, 197-205. Prevatt, F., Welles, T.L., Li, J., & Proctor, B. (2010). The Contribution of Memory and Anxiety to the Math Performance of College Students with Learning Disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 25, 39-47. Shapka, J.D. & Keating, D.P. (2003). Effects of a Girls-Only Curriculum during Adolescence: Performance, Persistence, and Engagement in Mathematics and Science. American Educational Research Journal, 40, 929-960. Tomasetto, C., Matteucci, M.C., Carugati, F., & Selleri, P. (2009). Effect of Task Presentation on Students’ Performances in Introductory Statistics Courses. Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 12, 191-211.