Mathematical anxiety
anxiety about one's ability to do mathematics
Mathematical anxiety, also known as math phobia and math anxiety, is a feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in daily life and academic situations. It is a phenomenon that is often considered when examining students' problems in mathematics. Mathematical anxiety is often linked to testing anxiety, and can cause overall distress, along with dislike and avoidance of math-related tasks.
History
The academic study of math anxiety originates as early as the 1950s, when Mary Fides Gough introduced the term mathemaphobia to describe the phobia-like feelings of many towards mathematics. The first math anxiety measurement scale was developed in 1972.
Identification & Rating Scales
Frank Richardson and Richard Suinn introduced the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) in 1972. Elevated scores on the MARS translate to high math anxiety. Other tests are often given to measure different dimensions of math anxiety, such as Elizabeth Fennema and Julia Sherman's Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales (FSMAS). Despite the introduction of newer instrumentation, the use of the MARS test appears to be the educational standard for measuring math anxiety due to its specificity and prolific use.
Impact on Performance
Math anxiety manifests itself in a variety of ways, including physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms, that can all disrupt a student's mathematical performance.
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