The Roots of Math Anxiety
It is a common feeling found in people of all ages. Math anxiety. People feel nervous and worried regarding math. They consider the subject to be a nightmare and will go out of their way to avoid it. Not enjoying math is so normal, that those who do are considered strange. Of all U.S.-American adults, 93% claim to have some form of math anxiety, and it is estimated that about 17% of the U.S.-American population have high levels of math anxiety (Luttenberg 2018). It becomes a strange occurrence when people are very casual about their math performance. Performance in other subjects is regarded as being serious, but a negative math performance is something that can be shrugged off, since it appears as if everyone is bad at math.
Regardless of vocation, math is present in everyday circumstances. For example, consider its presence in money. Tips, shopping charges, and taxes all rely on math. While a phone calculator may be used, it is more of a crutch and it can slow down the time it takes to do tasks. Depending on what vocation you are in, math is extremely important. The strict rules of mathematics are present in medical dosages and financial transactions. However, the use of math makes the career seem more unattainable and, as a result, some students choose to avoid a career that is heavily math-dependent (Cambridge 2019). Math is important, and it should not be viewed as a scary entity.
The main occurrence of math anxiety is present in education, at most levels (Luttenberg 2018). The students learn math, and are already perceiving it as formidable. Research has shown that math anxiety is inversely related to how well you do: the worse you perform, the higher the anxiety (Cambridge 2019). There is also the question of what came first in this instance. Was it the level of ability or was it the anxiety? Scientists observe it as bidirectional, where both factors influence each other (Ludden 2017). This essentially makes the problem worse by creating a never-ending circle.
There are several ideas that the public attitude towards math might be directly causing children to develop math anxiety (Luttenberg 2018). When young students are being taught math, they are also being taught what to think of it. This is true of any subject. An enthusiastic teacher will show the students that the subject is interesting, while a bored teacher will have a detrimental effect on the student’s attitude. As young students learn math, they learn that it is a tough subject, a subject that everyone is bad at and does not like. This does not pave the way for a student to really enjoy math, or at least develop an appreciation for the constancy of mathematics.
Anxiety is not a good nor comical thing. Common anxiety responses include increased heart rate, upset stomach, lightheadedness. Research also suggested that the fear and pain networks in the brain are activated (Luttenberg 2018). Anxiety is not a pleasant feeling, and can easily interrupt other daily tasks and work. A person becomes more alert and cannot devote their concentration to the task at hand. Their performance is not at 100%, which can lead to a bad result and worsened feelings about math. This can also affect other areas of their life, as the anxiety bleeds over into other situations.
There are several options to try to curb this trend in students. A short-term solution is to have students talk through their math anxiety with a trusted teacher. Helping to understand anxieties leads to increased confidence in undergoing math problems (Ludden 2017). The presentation of material can also be used as a way to prevent math anxiety. Teachers can show the subject to be fun and interesting, or use humorous examples to reduce any stress the students may be feeling (Luttenberg 2018). Any stress-relief activities will ultimately help a student, not just with math anxiety, but with any other anxieties they might be facing in their life.
The best option to lessen math anxiety is to change the public’s perception of math. Math should not be portrayed as frightening or difficult, it should be seen as just another part of one’s educational journey. Teachers and parents should show the younger students that math is good and fun. The behavior linked to math anxiety is learned, and society can teach itself to not fear math. By attempting to prevent future students from forming math anxiety, students will not be hesitant about math-based vocations. Anxiety and stress in relation to education will decrease. Math will be just another subject that some people like and dislike. Not everyone has to enjoy math. But no one should fear it.
Works Cited
Cambridge. (2019). What is Mathematics Anxiety? Centre for Neuroscience in Education. University of Cambridge. Retrieved from https://www.cne.psychol.cam.ac.uk/math-memory/what-is-mathematics-anxiety
Ludden, D. (2017). How to Overcome Math Anxiety. Psychology Today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-apes/201703/how-overcome-math-anxiety
Luttenberger, S., Wimmer, S., and Paechter, N. (2018). Spotlight on math anxiety. Psychol. Res. Behav. Manag. 11: 311-22.
