How does mathematics anxiety impair mathematical abilities? Investigating the link between math anxiety, working memory, and number processing.

Kenny Skagerlund,Daniel Västfjäll,Ulf Träff,Rickard Östergren,Jérôme Prado

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0211283

Abstract

In contemporary society, it is essential to have adequate mathematical skills. Being numerate has been linked to positive life outcomes and well-being in adults. It is also acknowledged that math anxiety (MA) hampers mathematical skills increasingly with age. Still, the mechanisms by which MA affect performance remain debated. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we contrast the different ways in which MA has been suggested to interfere with math abilities. Our models indicate that MA may affect math performance through three pathways: (1) indirectly through working memory ability, giving support for the ‘affective drop’ hypothesis of MA’s role in mathematical performance, (2) indirectly through symbolic number processing, corroborating the notion of domain-specific mechanisms pertaining to number, and (3) a direct effect of MA on math performance. Importantly, the pathways vary in terms of their relative strength depending on what type of mathematical problems are being solved. These findings shed light on the mechanisms by which MA may interfere with mathematical performance.

Highlights

Learning mathematics is a complex endeavor that is both cognitively and, sometimes, emotionally challenging
We show that basic number processing skills continues to be important for adult mathematics ability even while including working memory (WM) capacity in the model
A novel contribution is that we have successfully modeled the role of math anxiety (MA) in mathematics performance using structural equation modeling (SEM) that confirm the multifaceted role of MA, which go against the notion that MA undermines mathematics through a singular mechanism

Summary

Introduction

Learning mathematics is a complex endeavor that is both cognitively and, sometimes, emotionally challenging. In contemporary society, it is essential to have adequate mathematical skills. Lack thereof can severely hamper one’s prospects of making well-informed decisions about financial matters and other aspects relating to one’s psychological and physical wellbeing [1] [2] [3]. Decisions relying on numerical abilities are ubiquitous in every aspect of life, ranging from trivial everyday interactions in the local supermarket to significant choices about whether to buy a house, switching careers, and whether to undergo risky medical treatments [4]. Being able to understand and use numerical information is imperative, both from the perspective of the single individual, and for society as a whole.

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