Thesis advisor: Marina Vasilyeva / This research explored the nature of gender differences in math performance across development. It examined potential mechanisms underlying gender differences by testing a mediation model in which females' higher anxiety taxes their working memory resources leading to underperformance on a mathematics test. Further, this research examined stereotype threat effects on math performance by testing whether female students presented with a scenario activating the stereotype would perform worse than females not exposed to the stereotype. Participants in Study 1 were 71 fourth, 107 eighth, and 147 twelfth grade students from high performing school districts. Students completed anxiety measures and a challenging mathematics test either in the stereotype threat condition or the no-threat condition. Results showed that there were consistent gender differences in math performance across all three grade levels; however, stereotype threat did not impact girls' math performance. Importantly, the relation between gender and math performance at the eighth and twelfth grade levels was mediated by the worry component of anxiety. This finding suggests that girls' heightened worry can explain their underperformance on a math test. In Study 2, the mediating relation observed in Study 1 was further explored by testing whether working memory mediated the relation between worry and math performance. Participants were 90 college students who were assigned to either the stereotype threat or no-threat condition. Students completed anxiety measures, two working memory tasks (verbal and visual), and a challenging math test. Again, findings showed a significant gender difference in math performance but no stereotype threat effects. Further, there was a mediating chain from gender to the worry component of anxiety to visual working memory to math performance. The results suggest that females' heightened worry taxes their working memory leading to gender differences in math performance. Both studies contribute to our understanding of affective and cognitive factors underlying gender differences in math performance. The findings of this research are discussed in terms of their implications for interventions and the future of women's participation in STEM careers. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BOSTON/oai:dlib.bc.edu:bc-ir_101160 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Ganley, Colleen Marie |
| Publisher | Boston College |
| Source Sets | Boston College |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, thesis |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. |
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