The present demand for quantitative proficiency makes low mathematics achievement not only a formidable obstacle in occupational aspirations but also in the academic arena. To modify the current understanding of the problem of mathematics anxiety and to develop an effective treatment program, college students (12 subjects per group; 8 females, 4…

This paper, presented at the eighty-fifth Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, examines the potential contribution of systematic evaluation of mathematics anxiety programs, outlines some important considerations in evaluating these programs, and presents illustrative data concerning the effectiveness of various components…

Examined the relationship of math participation and success to self-esteem and career goals. No gender differences were found in math anxiety or perceptions of the usefulness of mathematics, but women selected math-related careers less frequently. Math participation and self-assessments of math ability related positively to self-estimates of…

Using Edwin Abbott's book, "Flatland," is suggested for mathematics and English classes to help students lose their fear of mathematics. Background information and comments on the book are given. (MNS)

A Mathematics without Fear program developed at San Francisco State University is reviewed. It seeks to move pupils who fear mathematics from reliance on rules to concept orientation. (MP)

Stress inoculation training and systematic desensitization treatment provided to 45 college students resulted in significantly lower mathematics anxiety ratings and less subjective distress reported prior to a mathematics aptitude test, with no significant changes found in a delayed treatment control. No treatment group differences were found for…

Studies the role that math anxiety played in the poor performance of students, what promoted such feelings, and what teachers can do to lessen this anxiety. Students and adults sense the urgency to understand the mathematical material, and that urgency often leads to anxiety when they cannot arrive at a solution. (ASK)

Analyzes liberal arts students' attitudes and views towards mathematics and social responsibility as they tutored inner city at-risk youths as part of a mathematics course in which they kept journals. Indicates that students' ideas about what it means to be socially responsible tended to become less egocentric. (Author/ASK)

Explores possible individual differences effects on school mathematics performance and feelings of difficulty (FOD) of 243 subjects, ages 13 to 15 years. Considers cognitive ability, affect, age, and gender. Finds that ability directly influenced performance whereas both ability and affect influenced FOD. Discusses the results. (CMK)

This investigation traced changes in anxiety for teaching mathematics (ATM) among pre-service elementary school teachers (n=36) enrolled in a mathematics methods course by analyzing their weekly journal entries. Journal entries were coded for high level of ATM (ATM-high) or absence of ATM (ATM-absent) during the first class session, as well as…

The attribution patterns of 132 Japanese-American and 63 Anglo-American students at the University of Hawaii were studied in 1984. Students were administered the Mathematics Attribution Scale as well as measures of achievement motivation, anxiety, and self-esteem. Japanese-American students were found to have lower achievement motivation and…

Twenty-four computer programs were developed to supplement a course in statistics required of psychology majors. Thirteen are tutorial in nature. The rest provide the user with sample measures and demonstrate solution of a statistical problem (e.g., finding the product-moment correlation). Part of a CAUSE project to increase science literacy and…

A chronology of the development of a mathematics anxiety scale is given. Included are a model describing six facets of mathematics anxiety and the eighteen items used on the anxiety scale. Stability and internal consistency measures are reported, and the scale is correlated with measures of mathematical confidence and general anxiety towards…

College students (n=491) were sampled to determine the extent to which attitudes toward mathematics can be viewed as reflections of other personality characteristics, as opposed to manifestations of a single underlying attitude toward mathematics. (Author/PN)

The high levels of anxiety, apprehension, and apathy of students in college algebra courses caused the instructor to create and test a variety of math teaching techniques designed to boost student confidence and enthusiasm in the subject. Overall, this proposal covers several different techniques, which have been evaluated by both students and the…