Van der Ven Sanne H G, Prast Emilie J, Van de Weijer-Bergsma Eva
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Thomas van Aquinostraat 4, 6525 GD Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands.
J Intell. 2023 Jul 7;11(7):136. doi: 10.3390/jintelligence11070136.
Individual variation in mathematical skills can be ascribed to differences in cognitive ability, but also to students' emotional experiences of mathematics, such as enjoyment and anxiety. The current study investigated how the interplay of working memory with math anxiety and enjoyment explains mathematical performance in primary school students. We also explored whether these relations differed with the type of math test and students' age. Using mixed effect models, we reanalyzed data from 4471 Dutch primary school students (grades 2-6) who had completed two computerized working memory tasks, had filled out a questionnaire on math emotions, and had completed two math tests: story problems and speeded arithmetic. Findings showed that working memory, anxiety, and enjoyment were linear (but not curvilinear) predictors of performance on both tests, while some relations were stronger for the math (story)-problem-solving test. Higher math anxiety negatively impacted performance more strongly for students with stronger working memory skills, but only on the arithmetic test. No interaction between working memory and enjoyment was found. The relation between math anxiety and math performance increased with grade level, but no other age-related changes were found. Interpretations and recommendations focus on situated views on learning and emotion.
数学技能的个体差异可归因于认知能力的差异，但也与学生对数学的情感体验有关，如愉悦感和焦虑感。本研究调查了工作记忆与数学焦虑及愉悦感之间的相互作用如何解释小学生的数学成绩。我们还探讨了这些关系是否因数学测试类型和学生年龄而异。使用混合效应模型，我们重新分析了4471名荷兰小学生（二至六年级）的数据，这些学生完成了两项计算机化工作记忆任务，填写了一份关于数学情感的问卷，并完成了两项数学测试：应用题和速算。研究结果表明，工作记忆、焦虑和愉悦感是两项测试成绩的线性（而非曲线）预测因素，而某些关系在数学（应用题）解题测试中更强。较高的数学焦虑对工作记忆技能较强的学生的成绩产生的负面影响更大，但仅在算术测试中如此。未发现工作记忆与愉悦感之间存在交互作用。数学焦虑与数学成绩之间的关系随年级升高而增强，但未发现其他与年龄相关的变化。解释和建议侧重于对学习和情感的情境化观点。
