Lennon-Maslin Michelle, Quaiser-Pohl Claudia Michaela
Department of Developmental Psychology and Psychological Assessment, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Koblenz, 56070 Koblenz, Germany.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Sep 12;14(9):809. doi: 10.3390/bs14090809.
(1) Background: This study examines the role of subjective anxiety (mathematics and spatial anxiety), along with physiological responses, in mathematics or math and mental rotation performance in 131 German primary school students (65 girls, 66 boys; = 8.73 years). (2) Method: Students' preference for math vs. German and their subjective anxiety were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Emotional reactivity was measured using the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). Math performance was evaluated via percentage scored and completion times on number line estimation, word problems, and missing terms tasks. Spatial skills were assessed using a novel mental rotation task (nMRT) incorporating gender-congruent and -neutral stimuli. (3) Results: Girls outperformed boys on percentage scored on the math task but took longer to complete this. No gender differences were found in performance on the nMRT. Girls demonstrated higher math anxiety and were less likely to prefer math over German. Math anxiety predicted math scores and accuracy on the nMRT while gender predicted math performance and mental rotation response time. Subject preference was associated with longer completion times and emotional reactivity with longer response times. Girls' preference for math and lower emotional reactivity was linked to shorter completion times, while lower math anxiety predicted higher scores. In contrast, these factors did not affect boys' math performance. Additionally, subjective anxiety, emotional reactivity, or subject preference did not impact spatial performance for either gender. (4) Conclusions: Supporting mathematical self-efficacy and emotional regulation, especially in girls, is crucial for enhancing STEM outcomes in primary education. Gender-fair assessment in mental rotation reveals equitable spatial performance and reduces the impact of anxiety.
(1) 背景：本研究考察了131名德国小学生（65名女生，66名男生；平均年龄8.73岁）的主观焦虑（数学焦虑和空间焦虑）以及生理反应在数学或数学与心理旋转表现中的作用。(2) 方法：使用标准化问卷评估学生对数学与德语的偏好以及他们的主观焦虑。通过皮肤电反应（GSR）测量情绪反应性。通过在数轴估计、应用题和缺项任务中的得分百分比和完成时间来评估数学表现。使用包含性别一致和中性刺激的新型心理旋转任务（nMRT）评估空间技能。(3) 结果：在数学任务的得分百分比上，女生表现优于男生，但完成任务花费的时间更长。在nMRT任务的表现上未发现性别差异。女生表现出更高的数学焦虑，并且比起德语更喜欢数学的可能性更小。数学焦虑预测了数学成绩以及在nMRT任务中的准确性，而性别预测了数学表现和心理旋转反应时间。学科偏好与更长的完成时间相关，情绪反应性与更长的反应时间相关。女生对数学的偏好和较低的情绪反应性与较短的完成时间相关，而较低的数学焦虑预测了更高的分数。相比之下，这些因素并未影响男生的数学表现。此外，主观焦虑、情绪反应性或学科偏好对任何性别的空间表现均无影响。(4) 结论：支持数学自我效能感和情绪调节，尤其是在女生中，对于提高小学教育中的STEM成果至关重要。心理旋转中的性别公平评估揭示了公平的空间表现并减少了焦虑的影响。
