Girls and Mathematics : A Hopeless Issue? ; An Analysis of Girls and Boys Emotions in Mathematics

Abstract

Gender differences in mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement are well-documented. In these studies, emotions other than anxiety have not been considered. The goal of this study was to explore gender differences in students emotions experienced in mathematics, including enjoyment, pride, anxiety, hopelessness, anger, boredom, and shame. Based on Pekrun s control-value model of achievement emotions (Pekrun, Goetz, Titz, & Perry, 2002), we wanted to test the assumption that gender differences in students mathematics emotions are mediated by their control-related appraisals and by their value appraisals.Subjects included 1017 female and 1036 male 5th grade students from different tracks of the German school system. Mathematics emotions were assessed by a mathematics-related variant of the Academic Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ, Pekrun et al., 2002). Competence beliefs and values were assessed by self-report scales, and mathematics achievement by academic grades and a standardized mathematics test.Girls reported significantly lower levels of enjoyment and pride, but higher levels of anxiety, hopelessness and shame than their male peers. Furthermore, girls competence beliefs and subjective values of the domain of mathematics were lower as well. Academic grades did not differ between girls and boys. However, in the standardized mathematics test, boys outperformed Structural equations analysis confirmed that gender differences in emotions were mediated by students control and value beliefs, and achievement differences by students emotions. Furthermore, multiple group comparisons revealed that structural weights were equivalent for boys and girls, implying that gender-related differences of emotions and achievement were due to mean score differences of control-value appraisals and emotions.