Many people are afraid of mathematics. Where did this fear and how to fight it

Anxiety is commonly referred to a tendency to experience frequent anxiety for any occasions. Anxiety is a common - a person suffering from such a condition may worry about anything: from thinking about that stove after cooking porridge morning and remained enabled and now the apartment in the absence of the owners certainly will burn to fear to go into underground. Anxiety can be private: in this case, a permanent state of anxiety in humans causes only certain set of triggers, such as public transportation, social interaction, or even math and all that it related.

"Meanwhile, the evil queen ..."

Before you start to be afraid of mathematics, people were afraid of numbers: the first time the hypothesis that "numerical anxiety» (number anxiety) can be separated from general anxiety, put forward in 1957 by American psychologists Ralph Dreger (Ralph Dreger) and Lewis Achen (Lewis Aiken). Their study involved 700 students of the University of Florida: the participants It offered to take a survey to identify the anxiety, in which three questions about the numbers have been added and mathematics.

Having studied the responses of students, scientists have discovered that a) the existence of a "numerical anxiety" does not correlate with the general anxiety, b) numerical anxiety - a factor that is separate from the general anxiety, and c) the presence of a numerical anxiety associated with poor academic performance in mathematics (in this case - it is worth noting that again - with the intelligence level of this index was not associated in any way).

The first standardized test for determining the mathematical anxiety was developed almost two decades later: in 1972 American psychologists Frank Richardson (Frank Richardson) and Richard Sweeney (Richard Suinn) presented the "scale of the mathematical anxiety "(eng. Mathematic Anxiety Rating Scale, for short - MARS). They are also the first to formulate the definition of mathematical anxiety 'feeling of tension and anxiety associated with the manipulation of numbers and mathematical problem solving in the usual training and life. " Sweeney, who previously worked on a method of psychotherapy, which would enable students to effectively deal with stress eve exams, Noted that anxiety about a third of the students connectedThe Application of Short-Term Video-Tape Therapy for the Treatment of Test Anxiety of College Students. Final Report it is with mathematics - that gave rise to the creation of such a test.

Designed by scientists test consisted of 98 items, each of which describes a certain situation. For example:

"Imagine you're trying to add two three-digit numbers, when someone is looking over your shoulder."

Or:

"Imagine that you have an hour math exam."

As you can guess, the situation described in the survey related to the mathematics. From participants in the first study using this test (397 students at a state university Missouri) was required to note the extent (on a scale from 1 to 5) described the situation causing them anxiety.

The average mathematical anxiety among study participants was equal to 215.38 points (out of 490 possible). Moreover, the researchers found that about 11 percent of students in mathematical anxiety worried so much that they need additional therapy.

Validity of their method of measurement Richardson and Sweeney subsequently confirmed by studies in which figures on the scale of anxiety fell after psychological counseling during the school of the year.

The proposed 98-punktny survey of mathematical anxiety repeatedly adapted: in particular, he Sweeney in 2003 proposed to reduceThe Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale, a Brief Version: Psychometric Data the number of questions to 30. Different variations of the MARS (there's even a specially adapted version for students of all ages) are still in use both in the evaluation of mathematical anxiety level psychologists and teachers, as well as in research and development of the phenomenon.

Who's guilty?

Speaking about the reasons of mathematical anxiety is first to note effect on her general anxiety. Researchers have repeatedly shownThe Nature, Effects, and Relief of Mathematics Anxiety, what correlation coefficient between mathematical anxiety and general anxiety is approximately equal to 0.35. Other studies have shown the relationship and mathematical test (exam) anxiety: here the correlation coefficient rangesOn the cognitive consequences of mathematics anxiety in the range from 0.3 to 0.5.

The presence of mathematical anxiety is closely connected with the individual person's ability to solve arithmetic problems - but it is not always clear exactly how.

For example, a mathematical expression of anxiety proneMathematics anxiety in children with developmental dyscalculia People with dyscalculia - a developmental disability, which is reflected in the inability to solve mathematical problems; it is associated with the violation of the intraparietal sulcus, which is responsible for the ability to quantify objects.

However, long-term studies showReciprocal relationships between math self-concept and math anxietyThat pinpoint the cause and where - a consequence, it is impossible and a link between anxiety and mathematical ability in mathematics - sided.

Fear of mathematics, on the one hand, a significant impact on the success in the exact sciences: it is difficult to succeed in something that causes a whole range of negative emotions - from mild trepidation to animal terror.

On the other hand, poor performance can also affect the appearance of anxiety: bad grades in school, difficulty remembering even the simplest theorems and formulas - all of this is the fear of failure, and ultimately the fear of her apparent reason mathematics.

Numerous studies of the phenomenon of mathematical anxiety and also make it possible to allocate a certain "risk group" - namely, the factors that may affect its development. For example, despite the fact that in the early school age boys and girls in the middle show the same success in mathematics, girls mathematical anxiety develops much more frequently. On the one hand, psychologists bindStereotype Threat and Women's Math Performance such predisposition gender stereotypes (or even with stereotype threat); On the other hand, it could also be the fact that women are generally more likely to sufferGender Differences in Five Factor Model Personality Traits in an Elderly Cohort: Extension of Robust and Surprising Findings to an Older Generation from general anxiety. Dependence, however, it can be difficult: for example, a study published in 2009 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showedFemale teachers 'math anxiety affects girls' math achievementThat the development of mathematical anxiety schoolgirls affect its presence in their math teacher.

Fear of mathematics depends on age: a meta-analysisThe Nature, Effects, and Relief of Mathematics Anxiety 151 research showed that mathematical anxiety begins to develop in the early school years, reaching its peak in high school and is aligned to its end.

This trend, in contrast to gender, are connected not only with the general anxiety (the offensive transition age dramatically increases the risk of mental disorders and states), but also with individual abilities in mathematics. So, your favorite school subject mathematics at 11 years old is calledPupils' views on school work and school from 7 to 16 years more children than 16 years. The reason may be that in middle school mathematics program is becoming more and more complex tasks much: to replace the rather simple quadratic equations and puzzles such as "from point A to point B at different speeds ..." come to the limits of the matrix and the binomial distribution.

Another possible cause of the fear of mathematics - cultural factors.

At one time the mathematical anxiety studies were conducted only in Western countries (and more precisely - almost exclusively in the United States) is possible to determine the impact of different teaching methods, gender and age, but studies were limited to western education system.

In recent years, however, interest in cross-cultural studies of mathematical anxiety is growing: for example, a comparison of British and Russian students showedMathematical anxiety, spatial abilities and mathematical success: a cross-cultural study of primary school children in Russia and the UKThat the children of the two countries differ on the level of mathematical anxiety. On the other hand, children from Asia developed countries (eg, Japan and Korea) are more prone to the development of mathematical anxiety than students from developed European countries (eg, Finland and Switzerland), - and it is at the same performance in mathematics. scientists have linkedAcademic expectations as sources of stress in Asian students this trend to the fact that students from Asian countries to put more pressure on their successes and evaluations, in particular - in math and the hard sciences.

Math anxiety is also explained genetically. For example, in a paper publishedWho is afraid of math? Two sources of genetic variance for mathematical anxiety in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry in 2014, the results of research involving 512 pairs of twins - students aged 12 years. The authors found that the mathematical anxiety by about 40 percent is due to genetic factors, namely, - predisposition to generalized anxiety, as well as the ability for mathematics (or levels of "mathematical knowledge"). The rest of the variation is due to environmental factors in the level of anxiety such environment, including (in addition to those already mentioned) can be both the quality of teaching of the subject at school, and especially training (for example, encouraging parents and successes teachers).

Of course, people may experience anxiety when faced with the other school (and not only) objects: eg foreign languages (Here it is worth mentioning the well-known "language barrier") or playing musical instruments (and here the role can play a "fear scene ").

It is believed, however, that this math is the strongest emotional reaction, often bears negative consequences in the form of anxiety and are closely associated with academic underachievement.

For example, among children nine-year mathematical anxiety relatedRelationships between 9-Year-Olds' Math and Literacy Worries and Academic Abilities a failure in mathematics, while grammatical anxiety (for literature and languages ​​- foreign or native) on educational success is not affected. This may contribute dogma mathematics as educational discipline. A child may be interested in art and literature, a good draw or play the violin, but all this does not replenish his mental the ability (in the eyes of parents or teachers, and sometimes their own) as much as it is making progress in mathematics and other exact sciences.

What to do?

Despite its quite a long history of research (with the publication of the work, which was first mentioned in "numerical anxiety "has been more than 60 years), well-established methods of treatment of mathematical anxiety in Unfortunately, until now not.

In 1984, Susan Shodal (Susan Shodhal) and Clione Dyers (Cleon Diers) of community college in San Bernardino, California, launchedMath Anxiety in College Students: Sources and Solutions Course "Mathematics without fear» (Mathematics Without Fear). He lasted one semester, and classes were held once a week for two hours; They were his two teachers: a psychologist and mathematician. Despite the name, the course was not educational, but more like a psychological support group meetings.

Scientists have based their studies on the methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy: year students were asked about their experience of mathematics, taught not to be afraid of established Mathematical myths (for example, the myth that mathematics necessarily requires a rapid response and the highest logical abilities), as well acquainted with the practices relaxation and reflection. The first 40 students who took part in this course have found it helpful, and their mathematical anxiety level decreased from 311.3 to 213 points on a scale of MARS.

Psychotherapy (in particular, cognitive-behavioral) good enough to help fight both in general and with private anxiety, and yet psychologists as the primary method to reduce the fear of mathematics is considered her. Can help writing therapy - to express their feelings and emotions in writing: a study published in 2014 in the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that writing this "essay" to solve mathematical problems greatly increasesThe Role of Expressive Writing in Math Anxiety the job results among students with a high level of mathematical anxiety. Writing therapy is actively used in the struggle with the exam anxiety, so it can help with a possible mathematical roots of the anxiety - fear of failure.

With regard to the earliest manifestations of mathematical anxiety, there is, as we have seen, play an important role as a learning environment, and encouragement from parents and teachers. So, to reduce math anxiety help individual coaching: younger students (from 7 to 9 years), the last eight-week intensive courses in mathematics under the guidance of personal teachers, not only improvedRemediation of Childhood Math Anxiety and Associated Neural Circuits through Cognitive Tutoring their knowledge, but also reduced the level of mathematical anxiety.

In addition to reducing the score on a scale measuring such anxiety, studies have shown the effectiveness of individual and fMRI data: the first eight weeks of training in dealing with mathematical problems significantly decreased amygdala activity - brain region responsible for the emotional response (mainly negative, fear or disgust). With the right approach, individual classes can develop a love of the subject; besides tutors usually do not make estimates for household or control tasks that significantly reduces the risk of exam anxiety, which causes a mathematical or accompanies it.

Another possible way of dealing with mathematical anxiety - a non-invasive magnetic and electrical stimulation of the brain. This method, though it is at first glance seems very radical, able to effectively (and that is important - safely and painlessly) affect the activity areas of the cerebral cortex.

In addition to the stimulation of the amygdala, which may reduce the activity (and therefore - and negative emotions) in response to a certain stimulus, scientists as a possible stimulation of the target as considering the prefrontal cortex - the bilateral part of the brain that is involved in cognitive control (it refers to the control and affect, and therefore - and anxiety), and working memory.

Applying the method micropolarization (transcranial stimulation small constant current, Eng. transcranial direct current stimulation, abbreviated tDCS), scientists, for example, could reduceCognitive Enhancement or Cognitive Cost: Trait-Specific Outcomes of Brain Stimulation in the Case of Mathematics Anxiety Anxiety in solving arithmetic problems of the participants with a high level of mathematical anxiety.

Efficiency of such method and confirmed the decrease in cortisol levels (hormone produced in response to stress) in their saliva. Finally, the magnetic random noise stimulation (Eng. transcranial random noise stimulation, abbreviated tRNS) improvesTranscranial random noise stimulation and cognitive training to improve learning and cognition of the atypically developing brain: A pilot study Remedial math skills: a success in mathematics is directly related to the emergence of fear of it.

People often worry when they have something does not work - and this is absolutely normal.

The constant manifestation of anxiety because of the failures, however, already makes us think about a hike to a specialist: the stress caused by frequent anxiety can lead to the emergence of a variety of diseases (for example, diseases of the cardiovascular system) and mental disorders (such as clinical depression or anxiety disorders).

That is why math anxiety should not be underestimated: it can not only affect the school performance and continued success in a related field, but also on health. Therefore, until the cure for fear do not come up to the math problem is to get rid of as soon as possible: for that teachers and parents can develop a love for the subject the child, encourage him for his success and not much blame for the failure, and children - to remember that math, that she and the queen of all sciences, not as daunting as it looks at first sight.