Title |
The Chicken or the Egg? The Direction of the Relationship Between Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematics Performance
|
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Published in |
Frontiers in Psychology, January 2016
|
DOI | 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01987 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Emma Carey, Francesca Hill, Amy Devine, Dénes Szücs |
Abstract |
This review considers the two possible causal directions between mathematics anxiety (MA) and poor mathematics performance. Either poor maths performance may elicit MA (referred to as the Deficit Theory), or MA may reduce future maths performance (referred to as the Debilitating Anxiety Model). The evidence is in conflict: the Deficit Theory is supported by longitudinal studies and studies of children with mathematical learning disabilities, but the Debilitating Anxiety Model is supported by research which manipulates anxiety levels and observes a change in mathematics performance. It is suggested that this mixture of evidence might indicate a bidirectional relationship between MA and mathematics performance (the Reciprocal Theory), in which MA and mathematics performance can influence one another in a vicious cycle. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 22 | 25% |
United States | 6 | 7% |
Canada | 3 | 3% |
Netherlands | 2 | 2% |
Australia | 2 | 2% |
South Africa | 1 | 1% |
France | 1 | 1% |
Switzerland | 1 | 1% |
Sweden | 1 | 1% |
Other | 2 | 2% |
Unknown | 46 | 53% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 52 | 60% |
Scientists | 29 | 33% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 5 | 6% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 1 | 1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 2 | <1% |
United Kingdom | 1 | <1% |
Italy | 1 | <1% |
Spain | 1 | <1% |
Canada | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 539 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 81 | 15% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 69 | 13% |
Student > Bachelor | 64 | 12% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 41 | 8% |
Lecturer | 27 | 5% |
Other | 83 | 15% |
Unknown | 180 | 33% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Psychology | 130 | 24% |
Mathematics | 72 | 13% |
Social Sciences | 55 | 10% |
Neuroscience | 13 | 2% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 10 | 2% |
Other | 61 | 11% |
Unknown | 204 | 37% |