Psychology of Affect -5-
Understanding
To understand mathematics better,
we need to go further from the actual problem solving action itself. As Schloeglmann
and Maasz have argued, the understanding of mathematics needs to be broadened.
We need to also emphasize on non procedural mathematics, cultural as well as
social components of mathematics among others. Mathematics therefore interacts
with many aspects that may alter our emotional well being related to learning
in general. For example, the computer has embedded so much with mathematics
that it is only possible to understand some areas of mathematics with computer
knowledge (Schloeglmann et al., 2006). I will not go into the details of how
the learning of other areas directly affects mathematical learning since I have
considered how emotions affect our learning capacity in general.
A
challenge that has hindered comprehensive study of the affect psychology has
been in the difficulty to accurately measure emotional components that in turn
determine affect psychology (Leder, 1992). One area where affective psychology
research has been considerably successful has been in addressing disparities in
mathematical performance; that result across gender lines (Leder, 1992). The
results from these studies have reinforced the belief that individuals have
varying needs; which in turn determine the emotions that they experience; which
consequently affect mathematical learning (Leder, 1992). This approach has at
least helped us understand some aspects of affect psychology; particularly the
fact that we all have different needs hence the need of a learning system that
favors someone at the individual level while learning mathematics.
The
key in understanding this research is to identify males as a group with some
variations in their environmental needs; hence the emotions that they
experience from their female counterparts. Initial research on mathematical
gender carried out in the 1980’s concluded that disparities in mathematical
performance were primarily caused by the following: differences in
opportunities to acquire education across gender, gender based biases in
mathematical teaching and unfavorable social conditions for females (Leder,
1992). Many efforts were thus adopted to empower women in mathematics by
removing disparities, including teaching methods that are gender friendly among
other efforts (Leder, 1992). With time however, differences between as well as
within genders became more recognized (Leder, 1992). A new approach was thus
applied emphasizing on these differences. Unlike the initial approach, the
nature of mathematics was skeptically analyzed; as had been proposed by
previous generations which were dominated by males. Methods were thus developed
to encourage understanding mathematics in different ways, tailored according to
one’s beliefs, values and abilities (Rogers et al., 1995). It is now apparent
that it was damaging to compel learners understand mathematics in a single
manner. This is because people have varying needs; hence varying emotions that
affect their learning in different ways.
As
can be seen, the above study differentiated the sample first basing on gender
and then differentiated further into even smaller groups based on variations in
needs; hence variations in emotional stimulus. The advantage in using such
approach would be to escape the difficulty of primarily using data from
measurements of affect as the most important data; since this is difficult to
obtain. However, we still need to measure affect at least to some extent; in
order to establish a relationship. A common approach that is utilized in
measuring affect is to use affect that is both stable and easy to measure
(Hannula, 2000). A relationship can thus be established between these affect
measurements and mathematical success (Hannula). Hannula (2000) carried out
surveys to determine the relationship between attitude affect and mathematical
success. Analysis of data suggested a proportional relationship of mathematical
success to attitude.
Of interest to researchers has also been the
general relation between affect and success. Chapman et al. (2000) noted a
possible relation between self ego and success.
A relation has also been suggested between ego and gender. This may
explain the advantage of males in mathematics when compared to females.
However, these studies have not been satisfactorily confirmed. Moreover, they
do not recommend any mitigation that can be applied to boost success. This area
will however be explored further; when a possible chain of emotional pattern
resulting from a single emotion is considered.
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