Lower-than-average math ability, low working memory capacity, susceptibility to public embarrassment, and a nonsupportive teacher are proposed risk factors for developing math anxiety¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q1–q2
Currency · newest study 2007 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q1 i? The authors predict math anxiety is learned in the classroom, for example when a student is called to the board, does poorly, and is embarrassed in front of peers. → Mark H. Ashcraft and Jeremy A. Krause 2007 q1 i? Elementary teacher education majors average the highest math anxiety scores and typically take very few math courses, setting the stage early in math education. → Mark H. Ashcraft and Jeremy A. Krause 2007 (2)

Evidence¶

Mark H. Ashcraft and Jeremy A. Krause 2007¶

Mark H. Ashcraft and Jeremy A. Krause. (2007). Working memory, math performance, and math anxiety. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14(2), 243-248. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03194059

q1 · i? · review · r2

The authors offer this as a prediction and hypothesis they are beginning to investigate, not a tested result: "lower-than-average math abilities and/or working memory capacity, susceptibility to public embarrassment, and a nonsupportive teacher all may be risk factors for developing math anxiety".

"lower-than-average math abilities and/or working memory capacity, susceptibility to public embarrassment, and a nonsupportive teacher all may be risk factors for developing math anxiety"

Mark H. Ashcraft and Jeremy A. Krause 2007 (2)¶

Mark H. Ashcraft and Jeremy A. Krause. (2007). Working memory, math performance, and math anxiety. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14(2), 243-248. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03194059

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review cites Hembree (1990) reporting that "those who average the highest are individuals preparing to be elementary school teachers", and notes such degrees typically require very few math courses, which the authors suggest sets the stage for students to be stranded without instructive explanations.

"When college majors are given a math anxiety test, those who average the highest are individuals preparing to be elementary school teachers (Hembree, 1990). Compounding this, students earning such degrees are typically required to take very few math courses"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Math anxiety has a small-to-moderate negative correlation with math achievement (r = −.28) in a meta-analysis of correlations from 223 studies — related
• Verbal working memory directly and positively predicts math performance in grades 3 and 4 — related
• Teacher-rated general anxiety is associated with lower verbal working memory performance — related
• Working memory fully mediates the effects of math anxiety and attention on children's non-verbal Numerical Operations — related
• In a cross-sectional model, attention problems relate to both non-verbal and verbal math performance only indirectly, through working memory (and, for MR, reading) — related
• Math anxiety compromises working memory only when the anxiety is aroused by computation-based tasks, not on verbal span assessments — related
• Cognitive ability moderates the encoding effect: higher-ability students benefit more, and lower-ability students may be harmed by note-taking — related