Why do people get so anxious about math? - Orly Rubinsten

TED-Ed
27 Mar 201704:36
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe script discusses the widespread issue of math anxiety, affecting approximately 20% of the population and potentially hindering cognitive resources like working memory. It highlights that anxiety can lead to poor performance rather than being a result of it. The transcript suggests that exposure to math by parents and teachers significantly influences math anxiety. Strategies to combat this anxiety include relaxation techniques, writing down worries, physical activity, and adopting a growth mindset. For educators and parents, the script advocates for a playful and creative approach to math, allowing children time to solve problems and promoting positive attitudes to inspire confidence.

Takeaways
  • 📚 Math anxiety is a common phenomenon affecting around 20% of the population, causing symptoms like increased heart rate and difficulty concentrating.
  • 🏆 Even individuals with significant math anxiety, like Fields Medal winner Laurent Schwartz, can achieve great success in mathematics.
  • 🤔 The relationship between math anxiety and performance is often misunderstood; anxiety can lead to poor performance, not the other way around.
  • 🧠 Math anxiety can decrease working memory, the cognitive resource needed for organizing information and solving tasks, leading to struggles with math skills.
  • 👨‍👧 The way children are introduced to math by parents and teachers significantly influences the development of math anxiety.
  • 📈 The pressure to perform well in math and cultural beliefs about intelligence can exacerbate math anxiety.
  • 💡 Relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, can help alleviate math anxiety and improve test performance.
  • 📝 Writing down worries can be a helpful strategy to reevaluate stressful experiences and free up working memory.
  • 🏃‍♂️ Physical activity can relieve muscle tension and prevent anxiety from building, which is beneficial for those with math anxiety.
  • 🧠 Embracing a growth mindset can help individuals overcome math anxiety by focusing on the potential for growth and improvement.
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For educators and parents, fostering a playful and creative approach to math can build confidence and numerical skills in children.
  • 🚫 Dispelling the myth that boys are innately better at math than girls is crucial for promoting a positive attitude towards math for all students.
Q & A

  • What is math anxiety?

    -Math anxiety is a phenomenon where individuals feel a heightened sense of nervousness or fear when faced with math problems, often leading to symptoms like increased heart rate, sweating, and difficulty concentrating.

  • How prevalent is math anxiety among the population?

    -Researchers estimate that approximately 20% of the population suffers from math anxiety.

  • Can math anxiety be considered a diagnosable condition?

    -Some psychologists consider math anxiety to be a diagnosable condition due to its impact on individuals' ability to perform mathematical tasks.

  • What is the relationship between math anxiety and performance in mathematics?

    -Math anxiety can lead to poor performance in math, as the anxiety itself consumes cognitive resources like working memory, which is essential for organizing information needed to solve math problems.

  • How does math anxiety affect working memory?

    -Math anxiety decreases the available working memory by causing individuals to worry about their ability to solve problems or perform well on tests, thus leaving less cognitive capacity to actually tackle the math.

  • Why does math anxiety seem to have a more significant impact on academic performance compared to other subjects?

    -While academic anxiety is not limited to math, it appears more frequently and causes more harm in math due to factors such as the way children are introduced to the subject and the cultural emphasis on math as a measure of intelligence.

  • What role do parents and teachers play in the development of math anxiety?

    -Parents and teachers can contribute to math anxiety if they present math as challenging and unfamiliar, or if they themselves exhibit anxiety about math, which can be internalized by children or spread to their students.

  • What strategies can help alleviate math anxiety?

    -Relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, writing down worries to reevaluate stressful experiences, and engaging in physical activities can help reduce math anxiety and improve performance.

  • What is the growth mindset and how can it help with math anxiety?

    -The growth mindset is a psychological principle that emphasizes the brain's ability to grow and develop. Believing in one's capacity to improve can actually foster growth and help individuals overcome math anxiety.

  • How can educators and parents foster a positive attitude towards math in children?

    -Educators and parents can be playful with math, focus on its creative aspects, and provide children with the time and space to work through answers. Administrators should also ensure teachers have positive attitudes and mathematical confidence.

  • Why is it important to dispel the myth that boys are innately better at math than girls?

    -Dispelling this myth is crucial because it is completely false and perpetuating it can negatively affect girls' confidence and interest in math, leading to self-fulfilling prophecies and reinforcing gender stereotypes.

  • What can individuals with math anxiety do to overcome it?

    -Individuals with math anxiety can work on overcoming it by practicing relaxation techniques, adopting a growth mindset, and reminding themselves that anxiety is not a reflection of their ability but something they can conquer with time and awareness.

Outlines
00:00
😟 Understanding Math Anxiety

This paragraph introduces the concept of math anxiety, a phenomenon that affects approximately 20% of the population, and is considered a diagnosable condition by some psychologists. It discusses how math anxiety can lead to poor performance in math, not the other way around, by consuming working memory, which is essential for problem-solving. The paragraph also touches on the potential causes of math anxiety, including parental and teacher attitudes, cultural beliefs, and the pressure to perform quickly. It highlights the story of Maryam Mirzakhani, who faced discouragement from her math teacher, as an example of how math anxiety can be influenced by external factors.

💡 Overcoming Math Anxiety

This section offers strategies for individuals experiencing math anxiety. It suggests relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, writing down worries to reevaluate stressful experiences, and physical activity to relieve tension. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of adopting a growth mindset, which involves believing in one's ability to improve and develop math skills. For educators and parents, it recommends playful and creative approaches to math, allowing children time to work through problems, and fostering positive attitudes and confidence. It also addresses the myth of gender differences in math abilities, asserting that such beliefs are false.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Math anxiety
Math anxiety refers to the feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that individuals experience when faced with math problems or tests. It is a significant theme in the video as it discusses how this anxiety can affect cognitive functions like working memory, leading to poor performance in math. The script mentions that around 20% of the population may suffer from math anxiety, and it can lead to a self-fulfilling cycle where anxiety leads to poor performance, which in turn reinforces the anxiety.
💡Fields Medal
The Fields Medal is the highest award in mathematics, often referred to as the 'Nobel Prize of Mathematics.' It is mentioned in the script to illustrate that even individuals who experience math anxiety, such as Laurent Schwartz, can achieve great success in the field. Schwartz's story serves as an inspiration that math anxiety does not define one's capabilities or future accomplishments in mathematics.
💡Working memory
Working memory is a cognitive process that involves the temporary storage and manipulation of information. The script explains that math anxiety can decrease working memory, which is crucial for organizing the information needed to solve math problems. When working memory is consumed by anxiety, less cognitive resource is available for the actual math tasks, leading to difficulties even with basic skills.
💡Academic anxiety
Academic anxiety is a broader term that encompasses the stress and worry associated with academic performance in general. While the script acknowledges that academic anxiety is not limited to math, it highlights that math seems to be a subject where this anxiety occurs more frequently and causes more harm. This suggests that there may be unique factors contributing to math anxiety compared to other academic subjects.
💡Parental and teacher influence
The script suggests that the way children are introduced to math by their parents and teachers can significantly impact their development of math anxiety. If parents or teachers portray math as challenging and unfamiliar, children may internalize these attitudes, leading to anxiety. Teachers with math anxiety themselves are also likely to influence their students in a similar manner.
💡Pressure
Pressure is the stress that arises from the expectation to perform well or solve problems quickly. In the context of the video, pressure can exacerbate math anxiety, making it even more difficult for students to focus and perform well in math. The script implies that high stakes and the perception of math as a measure of overall intelligence can contribute to this pressure.
💡Relaxation techniques
Relaxation techniques are methods used to reduce stress and anxiety. The script mentions that simple techniques such as short breathing exercises can help improve test performance in students with math anxiety. These techniques can help calm the mind and potentially free up working memory, allowing students to focus better on the math tasks at hand.
💡Growth mindset
A growth mindset is a psychological concept that refers to the belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. The video emphasizes the importance of adopting a growth mindset to overcome math anxiety. By thinking of oneself as capable of growth and improvement, individuals can foster a positive attitude towards learning and overcoming challenges in math.
💡Playful learning
Playful learning is an approach to education that incorporates fun and creativity into the learning process. The script suggests that parents and teachers can help build confidence in math by being playful with the subject and focusing on its creative aspects. This approach can make math more enjoyable and less intimidating, potentially reducing anxiety.
💡Time and space
The script emphasizes the importance of giving children the time and space to work through their answers at their own pace. This approach can help reduce the pressure and anxiety associated with feeling rushed to solve problems quickly, allowing students to think more deeply and confidently about their math work.
💡Gender myth
The script dispels the myth that boys are innately better at math than girls, stating that this belief is completely false. Challenging such stereotypes is crucial in creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment where all students, regardless of gender, can approach math with confidence and without anxiety.
Highlights

Laurent Schwartz, a renowned French mathematician, experienced math anxiety during his high school years.

Math anxiety is a common phenomenon affecting approximately 20% of the population.

Math anxiety can be considered a diagnosable condition by some psychologists.

Anxiety about math does not necessarily correlate with one's mathematical ability.

Math anxiety may lead to poor performance due to its impact on working memory.

Working memory, a cognitive resource, is diminished by the worry associated with math anxiety.

Anxiety can cause individuals to struggle with basic math skills they have previously mastered.

Academic anxiety is not limited to math but is more prevalent and harmful in this subject.

Children's perception of math can be influenced by how parents and teachers discuss the subject.

Teachers with math anxiety are likely to pass on their anxiety to their students.

Cultural beliefs about math proficiency and intelligence can contribute to math anxiety.

Relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, can improve test performance for those with math anxiety.

Writing down worries can help reevaluate stressful experiences and free up working memory.

Physical activity can alleviate anxiety by relieving muscle tension and deepening breathing.

A growth mindset, believing in one's ability to improve, can positively impact math skills.

Encouraging playful and creative approaches to math can build confidence in students.

Administrators should ensure teachers have positive attitudes and confidence in math to inspire students.

Dispelling the myth of gender differences in math ability is crucial for fostering a supportive learning environment.

Recognizing and addressing math anxiety is an important step towards overcoming it.

Transcripts

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Math AnxietyCognitive ResourcesWorking MemoryFields MedalAcademic AnxietyRelaxation TechniquesGrowth MindsetEducational StrategiesParental InfluenceTeacher SupportGender Myths