Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience

Mathematics anxiety is a significant barrier to mathematical learning. In this article, we propose that state or on-task mathematics anxiety impacts on performance, while trait mathematics anxiety leads to the avoidance of courses and careers involving mathematics. We also demonstrate that integrati...

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Main Authors: Buckley, S., Reid, K., Goos, M., Lipp, Ottmar, Thomson, S.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Sage Publications Ltd. 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/15667
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author Buckley, S.
Reid, K.
Goos, M.
Lipp, Ottmar
Thomson, S.
author_facet Buckley, S.
Reid, K.
Goos, M.
Lipp, Ottmar
Thomson, S.
author_sort Buckley, S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Mathematics anxiety is a significant barrier to mathematical learning. In this article, we propose that state or on-task mathematics anxiety impacts on performance, while trait mathematics anxiety leads to the avoidance of courses and careers involving mathematics. We also demonstrate that integrating perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience contributes to a greater understanding of mathematics anxiety in its state and trait forms. Research from cognitive psychology and neuroscience illustrates the effect of state mathematics anxiety on performance and research from cognitive, social and clinical psychology, and education can be used to conceptualise the origins of trait mathematics anxiety and its impact on avoidant behaviour. We also show that using this transdisciplinary framework to consider state and trait mathematics anxiety separately makes it possible to identify strategies to reduce the negative effects of mathematics anxiety. Implementation of these strategies among particularly vulnerable groups, such as pre-service teachers, could be beneficial.
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publishDate 2016
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-156672017-09-13T13:41:44Z Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience Buckley, S. Reid, K. Goos, M. Lipp, Ottmar Thomson, S. Mathematics anxiety is a significant barrier to mathematical learning. In this article, we propose that state or on-task mathematics anxiety impacts on performance, while trait mathematics anxiety leads to the avoidance of courses and careers involving mathematics. We also demonstrate that integrating perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience contributes to a greater understanding of mathematics anxiety in its state and trait forms. Research from cognitive psychology and neuroscience illustrates the effect of state mathematics anxiety on performance and research from cognitive, social and clinical psychology, and education can be used to conceptualise the origins of trait mathematics anxiety and its impact on avoidant behaviour. We also show that using this transdisciplinary framework to consider state and trait mathematics anxiety separately makes it possible to identify strategies to reduce the negative effects of mathematics anxiety. Implementation of these strategies among particularly vulnerable groups, such as pre-service teachers, could be beneficial. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/15667 10.1177/0004944116653000 Sage Publications Ltd. fulltext
spellingShingle Buckley, S.
Reid, K.
Goos, M.
Lipp, Ottmar
Thomson, S.
Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience
title Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience
title_full Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience
title_fullStr Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience
title_full_unstemmed Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience
title_short Understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience
title_sort understanding and addressing mathematics anxiety using perspectives from education, psychology and neuroscience
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/15667