1. Mathematics Anxiety
SME 3023:
TRENDS AND ISSUES IN EDUCATION FOR MATHEMATICAL
SCIENCES
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT:
The W H Phenomenal of Mathematics Anxiety
NAME & MATRIC NO:
NUR ASHIKIN BT ISMAHUN
D20081032212
DATE OF SUBMISSION:
17.11. 2011
LECTURER’S NAME:
PROF DR MARZITA PUTEH

2. Mathematics Anxiety
1. What is mathematics anxiety?
Mathematics anxiety has been defined as feelings of tension and anxiety that
interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in a
wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations Math anxiety can cause one to
forget and lose one’s self-confidence (Tobias, S., 1993). Mathematics anxiety makes a
large number of student’s minds go blank momentarily even when a simple mathematical
calculation is called for. Sweating palms, queasy stomach, panic, fear, clenched fists, cold
sweats, helplessness, tension, distress, dry mouth, shame and an ability to cope and so on
: there are just a few of signs of mathematical anxiety (Burton, 1979).
Sigmund Freud (1936) regarded anxiety as something felt; an unpleasant
emotional (affective) state is universally experienced. But then, Freud changes his
formulation. He conceived of anxiety as a signal indicating the presence of a danger
situation and differentiated between objective anxiety and neurotic anxiety. Objective
anxiety referred to that which was experienced by most people in their daily life and
involved a complex internal reaction to anticipated harm from danger. Neurotic anxiety
was characterized by feelings of apprehension and physiological arousal but differed
from objective anxiety in that source of the danger that evoked this reaction was internal
rather than external.
Mathematics anxiety can be seen as having both state anxiety and trait anxiety.
For example, state anxiety can be provoked by a situation such as student undertaking a
mathematics assessment which has serious implication to their educational or vocational
future. In the other cases, it would be seem that mathematics anxiety is an A-trait, deeply
entrenched in the student’s dispositions as a result of previous experiences and likely to
manifest itself in the face of any kind of mathematical challenge (Freud). According to
Phillips et al (1972), anxiety is elicited by psychological stress, and stress is reflected in
threatened deprivation of an anticipated satisfaction.
In conclusion, there are many definition of mathematics anxiety but there are only
one in common which is math anxiety is very real and occurs among thousands of people.
Math must be looked upon in a positive light to reduce math anxiety. Hence, the joy of
mathematics could remain with them throughout the rest of their lives.

3. Mathematics Anxiety
2. Why mathematics anxiety does occur?
Many interrelated factors contributed to the formation of mathematics anxiety and
especially among teacher trainees are not uncommon as previous studies have already
indicated (Haylock, 1995). Lazarus (1974) argued that mathematics anxiety results from
poor instruction and poorly designed mathematics curricula. It is related to abstract nature
of mathematics (Burton, 1979; Brush,1981; Ferguson, 1989). Poor spatial skills (Tobias,
1976) make mathematical comprehension difficult for many people. In fact there are
many points contributing to mathematical anxiety. From the research conducted (Puteh,
1998), it was found that the causes of mathematic anxiety were related to:
 Teacher personality and their style of teaching.
 Public examinations and their effect.
 Affective domain – the self sector, such as personality, perception.
 Feelings, worries, difficulties(memory, innate disability);
 Parental expectations –their aspirations and standards;
 Peer group influences;
 Relevance – the usage of mathematics in everyday life.
Other than that, the other factors link to mathematics anxiety is usually linked to a
negative math experience from a person's past. This could be being punished by a parent
or teacher for failing to master a mathematical concept or being embarrassed in front of a
sibling or group of peers when failing to correctly complete a math problem. To a parent,
this could have been the smallest or silliest mistake, but it very well could have left an
impression on the student if made to feel ashamed or embarrassed.
Timed tests and the risk of public embarrassment are two of many contributing
factors of math anxiety. Even if a student has no problems completing their work at
home, they could temporarily forget the needed math concepts in the middle of a major
test. Since the outcome of tests usually affects a student's overall math grade, the negative
results of math anxiety reinforce their feeling of inadequacy, thus creating a cycle of
anxiety and failure.

4. Mathematics Anxiety
3. Who has the mathematical anxiety?
There are three prime group that have mathematics anxiety which is students,
parents, and teachers. Teachers often give mathematics anxiety to student without even
noticed it. While parents gives to students due to their prior experienced in mathematics.
Primary school teachers are often found to suffer most acutely from mathematics anxiety
(Briggs, 1993; Briggs and Crook, 1991), possibly because of the lack of a firm
foundation in mathematics, coupled with the nature of the subject itself. Other than that,
teacher trainee is also suffering from mathematics anxiety.
It was evident from the interviews conducted that mathematics anxiety is indeed
extensive among these trainees. The mere fact that there exists such extensive
mathematics anxiety among these trainees suggested that it would inhibit them from
achieving their full potential in the subject (Tobias, 1978) and caused concern about the
implication for their role as teachers as mathematics in Malaysia primary schools.
4. When does it occur?
Mathematics anxiety often happen when trainees’ self-images with regard to
mathematics were identified from the interview (Puteh, 1998). These are dislike of being
challenged, low confidence, slow learner and low self esteem, easily giving-up and self
blaming for poor mathematics performance.
Mathematics anxiety can occur when participating in class, listening to a lecture,
while doing a math related problem, or during a test. Moreover, such anxiety can happen
on elementary school children, high school and college students (Tobia, 1993). It is
important to know that it can happen to anyone at any age no matter of their
mathematical ability. A positive experience while learning mathematics can help
overcome these past feelings to allow success and future achievement in math.

5. Mathematics Anxiety
5. What created it?
According to Skemp (1971), if a student is too worried about hostile and critical
mathematics when he cannot fully understand some parts of mathematics syllabus
learned, they will be more work to understand in the field.
The study was conducted (Puteh, 1998), found that the cause of the concerns related
to the personality of mathematics teachers and teacher's own teaching style. Besides these
concerns also exist with the public examinations and the effects of this examination in the
student life. Next, the affective domain factors, like personality and perception, feelings,
anxiety, difficulty (memory, natural defects), responses of parents, peer influence and
relevance (use mathematics in everyday life) to encourage the existence of anxiety in
mathematics.
Math anxiety is often developed as a result of student’s prior negative experience
when learning math in the classroom or at home. Teachers and parents often exacerbate a
child’s level of anxiety by imposing their personal views about math. Each negative
experience is transferred into the thoughts of any future math work and ultimately causes
a lack of understanding of mathematics. Traditionally, students have been taught to
memorize mathematical concepts without actually working through problems and
comprehending the reason behind the math skill.

6. Mathematics Anxiety
6. How can you reduce it?
There are many reasons why enhancing the awareness of mathematics anxiety among
teachers and especially teacher trainees is potentially important and should not be
overlooked. First, teacher’s attitude is a potent force in the classroom and their attitudes
and their enthusiasm toward a subject have a great impact on students’ attitudes (Ernest,
1991). Hence a teacher who is in love with the subject tends to infect students with a
similar enthusiasm, whereas a teacher who hates and fears mathematics will influence
students negatively.
Second, student-teacher relationship should also be improved. Teacher should shows
cares for students so they will not be fear of asking for help regarding mathematics
problems. The teacher’s habit for blaming students for not understanding seems to
created a barrier between the teacher and the student relationship. Also, the way of
teacher ridiculing students seems to play an important role in this. Besides that, teacher’s
strictness and fierceness includes. Hence, it is important for teacher to realize the way of
their teaching and change if there are any wrong.

7. Mathematics Anxiety
7. How do you eliminate it?
Parents and peer group seems to have great impact on the student, which does not
come as a surprise as parents are the closest and the first people that will have any
influences on student. Parent affects the child’s attitude and performance in three ways
according to Poffenberger and Norton (1959) that is:
 Parental encouragement
 Parent’s own attitudes
 By parental expectations of child achievement.
First, the parental encouragement. Many of the students that are interviewed said that
their parents were always encouraging them one way or another. They might not be
encouraging them specifically in mathematics, but however the element of encouragement
was always there. But, with parents show interest in their mathematical endeavor and hence,
according to them, their interest had developed from there on. Regardless of whether it is
both parent and just one of the parent who showed interest and gives encouragement, it is
apparent that it has a positive impact towards their mathematical interest.
Second is the family and parental attitudes. The parent’s attitudes towards students study
is the parents attitude towards their children study and in particular in mathematics. Some of
the parents drilled their children with mathematics questions until the child is paranoid of all
the memorization. But, some parents did not pushing her into studying or anything, and like
she had always been on her own when her studies are concerned. Hence, family and parents
attitudes towards their mathematical experiences do have an effect on their attitudes towards
the subject generally.
Third, is the peer group and its influences towards mathematics. Aiken (1970) indicated
that one possible determiner of attitudes towards mathematics is the attitudes of one’s peer.
He citied that Shapiro’s (1962) findings indicated that peer attitude in elementary school may
indeed be influential, especially in the cases of girls.
In conclusion, parents, family and peer group have equally an enormous impact on the
student when mathematics is concerned.