Math Ability/Performance Abstracts

Comments on the now famous Benbow-Stanley report in Science magazine on sex differences in mathematical ability. L. Burton, Gender and Mathematics: An International Perspective

This book is the outcome of the Women and Mathematics Topic Area at the 6th International Congress on Mathematics Education held in Budapest, Hungary, in 1988. V. I. Cherian, Gender, socioeconomic status, and mathematics achievement by Xhosa children

A study of gender and socioeconomic status differences in mathematics achievement revealed that girls from low socioeconomic status performed better than boys belonging to their economic class, whereas boys belonging to middle or high socioeconomic status performed better than girls. This was because girls from low socioeconomic status have to do household chores and they are trained to be a wife, a housekeeper and mother. Boys belonging to low socioeconomic status travel a lot, as a result of which they experience fatigue and are not able study. S. F. Chipman, D. H. Krantz, and R. Silver, Mathematics anxiety and science careers among able college women

A study was conducted in a women's college to determine if there exists a correlation between women's attitude towards math and their choice of career. A questionnaire which consisted of career interest questions and math attitude items was administered to incoming freshmen batches in 1985, 1986 and 1987. Results showed a high correlation between math confidence and choice of a physical science career. On the other hand, previous knowledge in math proved to be insignificant. These results point to the importance of cultivating positive attitudes towards mathematics learning. J. Ernest, Mathematics and Sex

Report of an undergraduate research seminar at the University of California at Santa Barbara R. B. Felson and L. Trudeau, Gender differences in mathematics performance

Includes: Typical sex difference socialization model for performance in mathematics. (chart); Items from parents', children's questionnaire, lambda model coefficients. (table); Sex differences in performance, grades 5-8. (table); Model representing the effects of sex on math anxiety. (chart); Structural coefficients of gender effects on parents, children, teachers. (table); Enrollment in various high school courses, 1986-87. (table); Gender differences in high school performance. (table) B. Grevholm and G. Hanna, Gender and Mathematics Education, an ICMI Study in Stiftsgardern, Akersberg, Hoor, Sweden

A collection of papers by internationally known scholars on fundamental themes in the area. J. Gutbezahl, How negative expectancies and attitudes undermine females' math confidence and performance: a review of the literature

This preprint is a literature review on how negative expectancies and attitudes undermine females' math confidence and performance. Contains a long list of references. J. S. Hyde, E. Fennema, and S. J. Lamon, Gender differences in mathematics performance: a meta-analysis

Includes: Studies of gender differences in mathematics performance. (table); Magnitude of gender differences as a function of: age, cognitive level. (table); Magnitude of gender differences as a function of mathematics content. (table); Magnitude of gender differences as a function of selectivity of sample. (table); Approximate magnitude of gender differences in mathematics performance. (graph); Magnitude of gender differences as a function of ethnicity. (table) J. S. Hyde, S. M. Lindberg, M. C. Linn, A. B. Ellis, C. C. Williams; Gender similarities characterize math performance

This report is based on data from 10 states on the cognitive performance of students in grades 2 - 11. The data shows only trivial differences in math due to gender and this is true even in the high school years. J. S. Hyde, E. Fennema, M. Ryan, L. A. Frost, and C. Hopp, Gender comparisons of mathematics attitudes and affect: a meta-analysis

This is a report on the authors' meta-analyses on the effects of gender differences in attitudes on mathematics performance. On the whole, effect sizes were small. Some differences in attitudes were observed and the differences seemed to increase with the age of the students. Includes: Gender differences on scales of math attitudes/affect as function of age. (table); Magnitude of gender differences on other scales of math attitudes/affect. (table); Gender differences in mathematics attitudes/affect, combining scales. (table); Gender differences in mathematics anxiety as function of selectivity. (table); Studies of gender differences in mathematics attitudes and affect. (table) J. E. Jacobs, Influence of gender stereotypes on parent and child mathematics attitudes

The author tests the hypothesis that the gender stereotypes about mathematical ability of parents influence their perception of their child's mathematical ability and chances of future mathematical successes and thereby influence the child's self-perceptions and performance in mathematics. E. Kwiatkowski, R. Dammer, J. K. Mills, and C.-S. Jih, Gender differences in attitudes toward mathematics among undergraduate college students: the role of environmental variables

This study examined gender differences in attitudes and perceptions toward mathematics among 132 undergraduates. Men showed more interest and liklihood to enroll in mathematics courses. The findings suggest that men have more positive attitudes and perceptions toward mathematics than women. L. Lafortune, Femmes et Mathematique

Collection of papers presented at a conference orgenaized by MOIFEM (Mouvement international poiur les femmes et l'enseignment de la mathematique) in Montreal, June 6-7, 1986. G. Lappan, L. H. Reyes, and G. M. A. Stanic, Gender and race equity in primary and middle school mathematics classrooms

M. McCaslin, D. Tuck, A. Wiard, B. Brown, J. LaPage, and J. Pyle, Gender composition and small-group learning in fourth-grade mathematics

This is a study on the effect of small group learning experiences in mathematics. L. D. Miller, C. E. Mitchell, and M. V. Ausdall, Evaluating achievement in mathematics: exploring the gender biases of timed testing

The study investigates the effect of time limits on SAT-type practice exams. J. F. Rech, A comparison of the mathematics attitudes of black students according to grade level, gender, and academic achievement

The attitudes of a group of elementary and junior high school Black students toward mathematics are examined and compared by grade level, gender and degree of academic success. Higher-achieving eighth-grade Black students have poorer mathematics attitudes than the other groups, specifically on perception of teacher, anxiety toward math and enjoyment of the subject. Educators and parents should develop interest in mathematics among Black students. They should be shown the importance of a strong mathematics education. P. Rogers, Thoughts on power and pedagogy

A discussion of the successful bachelor's program in mathematics at SUNY College at Potsdam. E. S. Spelke, Sex differences in intrinsic aptitude for mathematics and science: A critical review

This article considers 3 claims that cognitive sex differences account for the differential representation of men and women in high-level careers in mathematics and science: (a) males are more focused on objects from the beginning of life and therefore are predisposed to better learning about mechanical systems; (b) males have a profile of spatial and numerical abilities producing greater aptitude for mathematics; and (c) males are more variable in their cognitive abilities and therefore predominate at the upper reaches of mathematical talent. Research on cognitive development in human infants, preschool children, and students at all levels fails to support these claims. Instead, it provides evidence that mathematical and scientific reasoning develop from a set of biologically based cognitive capacities that males and females share. These capacities lead men and women to develop equal talent for mathematics and science. F. K. Stage and P. Kloosterman, Gender, beliefs, and achievement in remedial college-level mathematics

A study was conducted in a public research university in the Midwest to determine the effects of gender, beliefs about mathematics and previous mathematical skills on achievement in remedial college-level mathematics. The results showed that among male students, previous mathematical skills are related to beliefs, but beliefs are not related to final course grade. Among females, beliefs about mathematics significantly affect the final course grade. D. J. Stipek and J. H. Gralinski, Gender differences in children's achievement-related beliefs and emotional responses to success and failure in mathematics

Includes: Mean scores for pretest questions, by grade and gender. (table); Mean attribution scores by outcome and gender. (table); Mean scores for pride, shame, and desire to hide paper, by grade and gender. (table); Mean scores for avoidance wishes and expectations for future math tests. (table); Path analyses. (chart) C. A. Wiles, Investigating gender bias in the evaluation of middle school teachers of mathematics

A study on the influence of the stereotyped belief that 'mathematics is a male domain' on the biases of middle school mathematics teachers was conducted. It involved fourth, fifth and sixth grade students working on the same non-traditional mathematical problems on the hypothesis that higher ratings will be given to male students. Results of the study were not conclusive on the existence of teachers' gender biases and suggests the purposeful scoring of the mathematics exams regardless of gender J. Xu and E. Farrell, Mathematics performance of Shanghai high school students: a preliminary look at gender differences in another culture.

A study was conducted to examine whether there are gender differences in mathematical performance within Asian cultures. The subject of this study are 147 male and 122 female high school graduating students who took the China Regents Competency Mathematics Examination (CRCME). Results show that there are no gender differences in both the prehigh school tests and the CRCME. Since the results are not conclusive, more extensive researches are needed on this topic.