CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Mathematics anxiety (MA) is the worst opponent of a student towards their

subjects related to Mathematics. It is defined as the feeling of worry, frustration,

agitation, and fear of failure with regard to taking with Mathematics class,

completing math problem and/or taking a math exam. (Bruny’e, Mahoney, Giles,

Rapp, Taylor and Kanarek, 2013)

According to Bruny’e, Mahoney, et al. (2013), teachers and parents can

influence the anxiety that a child feels when he/she is presented with problem-

solving and even analysis on Mathematics. When a child feels this anxiety,

tendencies are his/her performance in the subject is usually poor-moderately

poor.

In different terms and meanings, according to [ CITATION Rub12 \l 1033 ] , it is

a negative effective response to mathematics, is suggested as a strong

antecedent for the low visibility of women in the science and engineering

workforce. This mainly talks about the performance of women in college years

suffering from math anxiety.

A study of Thomas Goetz, Madeleine Bieg, Oliver Ludtke, Reinhard

Pekrun and Nathan Hall (2013) issue of Psychological Science shows than

1
women experienced more anxiety towards math than men. By examining three

questions, the researchers were able to determine the percentage of women

suffering from anxiety.

The population of having more anxiety in recent studies shows that

women are expressed more stress when dealing mathematics so as the

mathematical ability of women are much more complicated. [ CITATION Paq16 \l 1033

Recent researches confirmed that pressure of timed tests and risks of

public embarrassment have long been sources of unproductive performances in

school. Three practices that are a regular part of the traditional mathematics

classroom and cause great anxiety in many students are imposed authority,

public exposure and time deadlines.

Related to the study, presence of MA is a great hindrance in the learning

of a student in mathematics-related subjects and has a great effect on his/her

learning confidence. Since confidence is involve, a child has low confidence

within the class every recitation, thinking his/her answer might not be correct or

even fears the scenario of being the laughing stock of the class for he/she can’t

understand the problem.

In the society, children starting from their fourth grade up until to their

middle school suffer a great percentage of anxiety in their academic

performance. Problematic students often have a great time dealing with their

problem-solving skills because of fear of numbers. Most cases, when a student is

understand it.

Anxiety happens when it is not monitored properly. Usually it occurs on

grade schools aging from ten to sixteen years old. Confusion between the

subjects triggers the emotional and mathematical ability of a learner which may

lead to poor performance in school.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The theoretical framework is grounded by theories that relate mathematics

performance and level of mathematics anxiety. Such theories as Cognitive-

Interference, Deficit Theory, Reciprocal Theory and Debilitating Anxiety Model

are preceded with information with connection with the relationship of

mathematics anxiety and academic performance.

Cognitive-Interference Theory. It presents a cognitive-attention

interpretation of the effects of self-reported anxiety level. It may be labeled as

evaluation anxiety because of the common component to self-reported anxiety

between general and test anxiety. Persons high in evaluation anxiety react to

cues that indicate that they are being evaluated with a habitual, over learned set

of self-oriented cognitions. The precise nature of these cognitions varies from

one individual to another but tends to be constant within an individual.

intelligence of a person. Defining intelligence in many ways, it is assume on how

people perform tasks and activities on a specific field. However, relating this on

poor performance, it does not mean that the person has a low intellective

potential but it could possibly show on that disadvantages of not having

experiences on that field. It may also depict that a person may be suffering from

potential disruptors in his focus on something such as anxiety insecurities, low

confidence and problems related to oneself.

Stated intrusion on the performance of a person contributes in the

cognitive inference. There are such aspects that can be considered as products

of personality for they include preoccupations that can interfere with the attention

in a given field. Connecting this to the study, personality and intelligence can be

considered as factors contributing to the existence of Mathematics anxiety to the

gender of a learner.

The Deficit Theory (2017). This theory implies that people starts with

poorer math performance are more likely to develop math anxiety which may

affect in their lives. It includes their chances on having good performance in work

that may lead to loss of job.

Further explanation, if a student starts with poor math performance

therefore it will lead to fear in solving math problems and eventually they will

think that they can’t solve a problem correctly. The continuous cycle of this

attitude leads to poorer understanding and mentally communication of learners

confidence.

Student’s who known to have fear in solving math problems are students

that have mathematical learning disabilities such as developmental dyscalculia

which reduce math performance of a student. This will have a higher level of

mathematical anxiety than children without mathematical learning disabilities.

The correlation of the theory on the relationship of the mathematics

anxiety is that situation of the learners being studied in the research has a deep

connection with their capability on understanding their math-related subjects.

The Reciprocal Theory. It implies that higher rate of Mathematics Anxiety

occurring in a person opposes the result (decreased in academic performance in

math-related subjects). Poorer performance indicates that a person suffers from

mathematics anxiety and might even cause several mental illnesses if not

prevented. This plays a role in the mixture of the two theories and the

relationship between the level of mathematics anxiety and the performance of an

individual.

Moreover, in finding the relationship of mathematics anxiety and gender of

a person, there might be some interconnectivity of this theorem. The gender may

be a factor in the decreased in the anxiety of an individual.

In connection with this theory, the Debilitating Anxiety Model suggests

also the same connection between mathematics anxiety and mathematics

performance. It is driven from the troubling learning and recalling math skills. The
recalling system of individuals might occur intrusion from mathematics anxiety

and results to poor performance towards the subject.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The theoretical framework is grounded by theories that relate mathematics

performance and level of mathematics anxiety. Such theories as Cognitive-

Interference, Deficit Theory, Reciprocal Theory and Debilitating Anxiety Model

are preceded with information with connection with the relationship of

mathematics anxiety and academic performance.

Cognitive-Interference Theory. It presents a cognitive-attention

interpretation of the effects of self-reported anxiety level. It may be labeled as

evaluation anxiety because of the common component to self-reported anxiety

between general and test anxiety. Persons high in evaluation anxiety react to

cues that indicate that they are being evaluated with a habitual, over learned set

of self-oriented cognitions. The precise nature of these cognitions varies from

one individual to another but tends to be constant within an individual.

Cognitive-interference resides in the territory and border of personality and

intelligence of a person. Defining intelligence in many ways, it is assume on how

people perform tasks and activities on a specific field. However, relating this on

poor performance, it does not mean that the person has a low intellective

potential but it could possibly show on that disadvantages of not having

experiences on that field. It may also depict that a person may be suffering from
potential disruptors in his focus on something such as anxiety insecurities, low

confidence and problems related to oneself.

Stated intrusion on the performance of a person contributes in the

cognitive inference. There are such aspects that can be considered as products

of personality for they include preoccupations that can interfere with the attention

in a given field. Connecting this to the study, personality and intelligence can be

considered as factors contributing to the existence of Mathematics anxiety to the

gender of a learner.

The Deficit Theory (2017). This theory implies that people starts with

poorer math performance are more likely to develop math anxiety which may

affect in their lives. It includes their chances on having good performance in work

that may lead to loss of job.

Further explanation, if a student starts with poor math performance

therefore it will lead to fear in solving math problems and eventually they will

think that they can’t solve a problem correctly. The continuous cycle of this

attitude leads to poorer understanding and mentally communication of learners

resulting to higher level of mathematics anxiety which may lead to low self-

confidence.

Student’s who known to have fear in solving math problems are students

that have mathematical learning disabilities such as developmental dyscalculia

which reduce math performance of a student. This will have a higher level of

mathematical anxiety than children without mathematical learning disabilities.

anxiety is that situation of the learners being studied in the research has a deep

connection with their capability on understanding their math-related subjects.

The Reciprocal Theory. It implies that higher rate of Mathematics Anxiety

occurring in a person opposes the result (decreased in academic performance in

math-related subjects). Poorer performance indicates that a person suffers from

mathematics anxiety and might even cause several mental illnesses if not

prevented. This plays a role in the mixture of the two theories and the

relationship between the level of mathematics anxiety and the performance of an

individual.

Moreover, in finding the relationship of mathematics anxiety and gender of

a person, there might be some interconnectivity of this theorem. The gender may

be a factor in the decreased in the anxiety of an individual.

In connection with this theory, the Debilitating Anxiety Model suggests

also the same connection between mathematics anxiety and mathematics

performance. It is driven from the troubling learning and recalling math skills. The

recalling system of individuals might occur intrusion from mathematics anxiety

and results to poor performance towards the subject.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
 Mathematics anxiety describes feelings to fear, tension, apprehension or

worry about mathematics. Mathematics Anxiety is a negative emotional reaction

to mathematics that can be debilitating. It is defined as "a feeling of tension and

anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of

mathematical problems in ordinary life and academic situations.

As stated above, Mathematics Anxiety is not restricted to tests or

classroom settings. It may generalize to various real would situations with the

consequence that otherwise perfectly intelligent and capable persons develop a

severe avoidance of situations involving any kinds of mathematics.

However, this research is not definitive. Whilst is might suggest that some

individuals develop math anxiety as a result of poorer math performance, not all

individual with mathematics anxiety have history of a performance deficit.

Students pick it up without even thinking about it so much. But there is a

important aspect of math or mathematics. When we lack of mathematical

education stands in someone's way, whether they want to learn more physics or

basic statistics, it is almost never the ability to do calculations. Now, it is

important to realize here that the ability to follow mathematical reasoning is not

all that far removed from the ability to calculate.

The process of learning mathematics necessarily involves learning certain

a ways of thinking and mostly people find it probable that learning is the kind of

thinking that in mathematics has a value outside the realm of mathematics. This
may be the most essential a part of something of mathematical thinking but it is

certainly not something that is easy, even for experienced mathematicians.

Mathematical ability is a human construct which may define cognitively

and pragmatically, depending on the purpose of definitions. From this

perspective, it can be defined as the ability to perform mathematical tasks and

effectively solve given mathematical problem.

It is definably innate because people can excel in math through hard work,

but other people it is their talent and ability to perform in mathematics.

According to [ CITATION Phi17 \l 1033 ], research confirms that pressure

of timed tests and risk of public embarrassment have long been recognized as

sources of unproductive tension among many students. Three practices that are

a regular part of the traditional mathematics classroom and cause great anxiety

in many students are imposed authority, public exposure and time deadlines.

Although these are a regular part of the traditional mathematics classroom cause

great deal of anxiety. Therefore, teaching methods must be re-examined.

Consequently, there should be more emphasis on teaching methods which

include less lecture, more student directed classes and more discussion.

Given the fact that many students experience math anxiety in the

traditional classroom; teachers should design classrooms that will make children

feel more successful. Students must have a high level of success or a level of

failure that they can tolerate. Therefore, incorrect responses must be handled in
a positive way to encourage student participation and enhance student

confidence.

Having low math performance of a student in his/her school is basically

cause of math anxiety. Fear to solve problems is one of the problems of the

students and the teachers sometimes don’t know how to solve this problem. If

students don’t exert effort to analyze the given problem and think that they can’t

answer the problem correctly therefore it will start to have a fear in solving the

problem and to fail because of this kind of thinking.

Some aspects of mathematics are difficult to other students to acquire. A

low student’s performance and participation in math subject are matter’s that is

concern. Many students believe that they can’t do the task correctly which is

related to math. That’s why, student choose not to participate in the class that

cause to their performance decrease.

According to [ CITATION Ann16 \l 1033 ] if student have a math anxiety, this

may disrupt their mathematical learning and performance inside of their school

that leads to avoidance in mathematical activities that their teacher given to them

and it will also disrupt their working memory while doing their mathematical tasks.

Paradigm of the Study

The independent variables includes the (a) Demographic profile in terms

of gender and the (b) achievement test scores in General Mathematics Anxiety of

the Grade 12 HUMSS learners. The dependent variable is the mathematics

Aringay National High School - Senior High School.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT

I. The of
Paradigm Profile of the learners
the study.
in terms of gender Mathematics
Anxiety Level of the
b) Achievement Test scores
Grade 12 HUMSS
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
learners

The aim of the research is to determine the relationship of gender to

mathematics anxiety of the grade 12 of HUMSS in Aringay National High School,

school year 2018-2019.

It sought to answer the following:

a. What is the profile of the respondents, in terms of gender?

b. What is the percentage of the respondents having a high

mathematics anxiety level?

c. Is there a significant relationship between the gender and

mathematics anxiety of the respondents?

Hypothesis

a) Majority of the respondent Grade 12 HUMSS learners are females.

anxiety has a percentage of 50.

c) There is no significant relationship between the gender and the

mathematics anxiety of the Grade 12 HUMSS learners in General

Mathematics.

Scope and Delimitations

This study focuses on the relationship of MA and the gender of the

respondents. The study is conducted at Aringay National High School, during the

first semester of the academic year 2018-2019 with an overall view of seventy-

four (74) respondents, randomly selected in the Grade 12 HUMMS learners.

The study was delimited to the assessment on the mastery of the learners

in General Mathematics.

It assessed the level of occurrence of mathematics anxiety through the

mathematics anxiety questionnaire.

Moreover, the study looked for the significant relationship between the

demographic profile in terms of gender of the respondents and the mastery in

General Mathematics of the learners.

Lastly, it analyzed the significant relationship between the mathematics

anxiety level of occurrence and the mastery in General Mathematics of the

learners.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is ought to be conducted to determine the relationship between

the gender to Math anxiety of grade 12 HUMSS learners in Aringay National High

School, SY 2018-2019 in Aringay, La Union. The study will be beneficial to

school administrators, teachers, student researchers, parents and future

researchers.

The school administrators will be knowledgeable about the current crisis

among the students and may even develop a plan supporting the study been

taken by the current researchers. This may be a steppingstone in making their

students productive in mathematics than being terrorized by their anxiety.

The teachers will be given innovation for their introduction of the subjects

relating to math in order to have less pressure during classes. School teachers

must be enabled to used different materials in introducing their topics little by little

in order for their students to understand it clearer.

The future researchers will be knowledgeable about the situation and

come up with new ideas that may help in improving the study. This will become

their basis in building up new improved researchers on coping up with math

anxiety.

The parents will be well-informed about the different effects of math

anxiety to their children and in order to make up on how to cope up with the
situation. It is a way in realizing their roles in supporting their children in fighting

the math anxiety.

Definition of Terms

Learner. It is a person who is performing deep understanding in the

existence of the subjects and lessons in class.

Relationship. It is the connection of two things from one another.

Mathematical Ability. It is the ability to solve mathematically and critically

the math-related problems.

Mathematics Anxiety. It is the difficulty in assessing or understanding

math-related subjects because of fear in numbers.

Mathematics. It is a branch of science that deals with figures,

mathematical equations and numbers.

Academic Performance. The extent at which a student achieved in

his/her educational goals.

Gender. The state of being a male and a female in which it is a factor that

determines the level of mathematics anxiety occurring in both genders.