The impact of stereotype threat on mathematics performance based on gender and the level of fear of mathematics

Kiseljak, Dražena. (2014). The impact of stereotype threat on mathematics performance based on gender and the level of fear of mathematics. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology. [mentor Vlahović-Štetić, Vesna].

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Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of stereotype threat on solving mathematical problems, considering gender and the level of experienced fear of mathematics. The research was done on high – school students in their sophomore year, coming from four high – schools. The analysed data was obtained from 185 subjects (44 boys and 141 girls). Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children and a mathematics test, developed with the help of Mathematics teacher, were used in the research. The results of univariate analysis of variance showed a statistically significant influence of fear of mathematics on solving mathematical problems. As this fear grew, there was a significant decline in the number of succesfully solved mathematical problems. The subjects' gender and the stereotype threat were not statistically significant. The interaction of the stereotype threat and the fear of mathematics proved to be statistically significant. Medium – level fear subjects, when faced with the stereotype threat were not as successful as those with no stereotype threat. The mathematical success of low–level and high-level fear subjects, when (un)provoked by the stereotype threat did not differ significantly. The interactions of gender and the fear of mathematics, gender and the stereotype threat as well as gender, the stereotype threat and the fear of mathematics were not statistically significant.

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