Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v17i4.1434
Determinants of Students' Mathematics Self-Concept: Analysis of Gender Universalities and Specificities
Jelena Matić
; Centre for Educational Research and Development, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
Iris Marušić
; Centre for Educational Research and Development, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
Branislava Baranović
; Centre for Educational Research and Development, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
Abstract
The aim of the research was to examine the role that personality variables, mathematics anxiety, stereotypes about mathematics as a male domain and the perception of mathematics teachers' role and behaviour have in explaining students' mathematics self-concept, over and above the information about their mathematics success. The participants were 8th grade students from 36 primary schools from Zagreb and the Zagreb County (N=511). The analysis of the contribution of the above-mentioned predictors was conducted on male and female samples separately. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed the contributions of individual variables and the overall contribution to the explanation of boys’ (R=0.63) and girls’ (R=0.72) mathematics self-concept. Mathematics success was the strongest determinant of mathematics self-concept for both gender groups. Personality, i.e. conscientiousness was the gender-specific determinant that only contributed to the explanation of girls' mathematics self-concept. The opposite was true for stereotypes about mathematics. Mathematics anxiety and the perception of teachers’ role and behaviour were gender-universal determinants. The findings can serve to inform evidence-based planning and implementation of both gender universal and specific interventions for the enhancement of mathematics self-concept.
Keywords
ličnost; matemgender differences; math anxiety; math self-concept; personalityatička slika o sebi; rodne razlike; strah od matematike
Hrčak ID:
151229
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2015.
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