Zhang Ruhai, Chen Zhongting, Deng Ciping
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Front Psychol. 2024 Dec 12;15:1464501. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1464501. eCollection 2024.
In this study, we examined gender differences in fraction learning and explored potential underlying mechanisms.
The mediating effects of spatial ability and mathematical anxiety on gender differences in fraction learning were tested in elementary school students. A total of 165 sixth-grade students (83 girls) from public elementary schools participated in the study. All participants completed a series of tasks, including a mathematical anxiety test, two spatial ability tasks (spatial working memory and mental rotation tests), and a fraction knowledge test (incorporating fraction arithmetic, fraction number line, and fraction concept knowledge).
Significant gender differences exist in student performance in terms of fractional arithmetic, fractional number line estimation, mathematical anxiety, and spatial working memory. We also identified a chain-mediating effect of spatial working memory and mathematical anxiety on the relationship between gender and fractional arithmetic.
The findings suggest a developmental pathway linking gender differences in spatial cognition to fraction learning, contributing to a better understanding of the cognitive and affective factors underlying gender differences in fraction learning during early adolescence. Furthermore, there are several practical implications for reducing gender differences in mathematics education during school years.
在本研究中，我们考察了分数学习中的性别差异，并探究了潜在的内在机制。
在小学生中测试空间能力和数学焦虑对分数学习中性别差异的中介作用。共有165名来自公立小学的六年级学生（83名女生）参与了本研究。所有参与者完成了一系列任务，包括数学焦虑测试、两项空间能力任务（空间工作记忆和心理旋转测试）以及一项分数知识测试（包括分数算术、分数数轴和分数概念知识）。
在分数算术、分数数轴估计、数学焦虑和空间工作记忆方面，学生表现存在显著的性别差异。我们还确定了空间工作记忆和数学焦虑对性别与分数算术之间关系的链式中介作用。
研究结果表明了一条将空间认知中的性别差异与分数学习联系起来的发展路径，有助于更好地理解青春期早期分数学习中性别差异背后的认知和情感因素。此外，对于在学年期间减少数学教育中的性别差异有若干实际意义。
