Attitudes towards math in primary school students: Differences depending on the grade and gender

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to check whether there are differences in some variables related to attitudes towards math in primary school students according to the course and gender. The sample consists of 897 students of the fifth and sixth year of primary education (50.2% boys and 49.8% girls). The results indicate that the boys, compared to girls, have a higher perceived competence in math, they are more intrinsically motivated extrinsic and exhibit lower levels of anxiety. As for the differences in terms of this variable, the results indicate that students in grade 5 have a higher perceived competence for math, perceive most useful, are more intrinsically motivated to this subject and show anxiety levels and some negative feelings toward the lower than grade 6. Therefore, girls show a "profile" of less adaptive than men conditions, both in terms of their perceived competition as their motivation towards math and also in terms of the emotions associated with this matter. As for the differences depending on the course, students from grade 5 are those with a much more positive attitudinal and motivational conditions than grade 6.