The effect of math anxiety on math performance
It is generally acknowledged that math anxiety highly prevalent all over the world, which is related to math performance (Chang, 2016). Meanwhile, some people could not figure out the reason why their math grades are poor or hard to improve. In that case, they are struggling in math problems that could cause unfavorable circulation. Thus, this essay may help students to recognize math anxiety and to find out where the problems is in math learning. Firstly, this essay will define the math anxiety and explain it specifically. Additionally, the author will explore why math anxiety happens on people. Moreover, it will be discussed what the relationship between math anxiety and math performance is. …show more content…
These factors range from environmental factors such as family pressure for higher achievement, to intellectual factors as learning styles or to personality factors such as low self-esteem (Uusimaki & Nason, 2004; Woodard, 2004, cited in Yuksel-Sahin, 2008).
Firstly, environmental factors could affect math anxiety which include teachers’ attitudes, ineffective teaching styles, teachers’ characteristics, and negative school experiences. Secondly, there are some intellectual factors which are self-concept, learning style, avoidance of math, low degree of achievement in math and the degree of logical thinking. Thirdly, it is discovered that personality, low self-esteem, negative attitudes toward math, which are personality factors, could cause math anxiety (Yuksel-Sahin, 2008; Devine, 2012).
The relationship between math anxiety and math performance
There are some studies suggested that math anxiety influence people’s math performance in three main aspects which are individual, environmental aspects and gender aspects. (Chang, 2016).
Individual
Firstly, according to Chang (2016), he concluded that in cognitive level, math-anxious individuals may generate some stimuli which are related to math such as threatening, therefore they perform worse to pay attention the …show more content…
Moreover, Chang (2016) investigated that fear-related and anxiety-related physiological responses associated with math anxiety have been shown early in development. For example, second and third grade children who report being highly math anxious show increased negative emotional processing during math performance (Young et.al, 2012, cited in Chang, 2016).
Thirdly, math motivation also could influence the relationship between math anxiety and math performance. Individual who are highly motivated may overcome their negative responses associated with math anxiety by actively approaching the math task at hand. On the other hand, those who are less motivated may have a greater tendency to avoid the math-related situations that evoke anxiety (Chang, 2016).
To sum up individual aspect, math anxiety could negatively influence math performance by cognitive level, affective and physiological factors and motivation.
It is generally acknowledged that math anxiety highly prevalent all over the world, which is related to math performance (Chang, 2016). Meanwhile, some people could not figure out the reason why their math grades are poor or hard to improve. In that case, they are struggling in math problems that could cause unfavorable circulation. Thus, this essay may help students to recognize math anxiety and to find out where the problems is in math learning. Firstly, this essay will define the math anxiety and explain it specifically. Additionally, the author will explore why math anxiety happens on people. Moreover, it will be discussed what the relationship between math anxiety and math performance is. …show more content…
These factors range from environmental factors such as family pressure for higher achievement, to intellectual factors as learning styles or to personality factors such as low self-esteem (Uusimaki & Nason, 2004; Woodard, 2004, cited in Yuksel-Sahin, 2008).
Firstly, environmental factors could affect math anxiety which include teachers’ attitudes, ineffective teaching styles, teachers’ characteristics, and negative school experiences. Secondly, there are some intellectual factors which are self-concept, learning style, avoidance of math, low degree of achievement in math and the degree of logical thinking. Thirdly, it is discovered that personality, low self-esteem, negative attitudes toward math, which are personality factors, could cause math anxiety (Yuksel-Sahin, 2008; Devine, 2012).
The relationship between math anxiety and math performance
There are some studies suggested that math anxiety influence people’s math performance in three main aspects which are individual, environmental aspects and gender aspects. (Chang, 2016).
Individual
Firstly, according to Chang (2016), he concluded that in cognitive level, math-anxious individuals may generate some stimuli which are related to math such as threatening, therefore they perform worse to pay attention the …show more content…
Moreover, Chang (2016) investigated that fear-related and anxiety-related physiological responses associated with math anxiety have been shown early in development. For example, second and third grade children who report being highly math anxious show increased negative emotional processing during math performance (Young et.al, 2012, cited in Chang, 2016).
Thirdly, math motivation also could influence the relationship between math anxiety and math performance. Individual who are highly motivated may overcome their negative responses associated with math anxiety by actively approaching the math task at hand. On the other hand, those who are less motivated may have a greater tendency to avoid the math-related situations that evoke anxiety (Chang, 2016).
To sum up individual aspect, math anxiety could negatively influence math performance by cognitive level, affective and physiological factors and motivation.