Math Anxiety & Arithmatic Performance
Great minds think alike. Correction - great minds think differently. But why? Recent research in the field of emotion-cognition interactions explores the differences in how the brain processes math problems for individuals with and without math anxiety. Mathematical anxiety is the condition in which individuals exhibit a high level of fear or apprehension towards math. This stress results in poor math performance because of the feelings of humiliation and panic, thereby interfering with one's ability to compute basic math.
The Research
On March 25, researches at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society's annual meeting shared a report on the unique brain activity observed in individuals with math anxiety. While undergoing functional MRI scans, the participants noted whether or not simple math problems (single-digit computations) shown with solutions, were correct. An example would be 6 + 4 = 10. What researches observed next is fascinating. In individuals without math anxiety, minimal activation of the fronto-parietal attentional network (the inferior frontal gyrus and superior parietal lobule) was associated with higher mathematical performance. This network in the brain relates to problem solving, attention, and memory. Contrastingly, in individuals with math anxiety, no correlation was found between frontoparietal network activity and mathematical performance. One of the researches involved with this study, Hyesang Chang of the University of Chicago, hypothesized that lower activation of this network resulted in higher performance because for these individuals, math was more automatic. Essentially, they didn't need to think as much, therefore less brain activity overall. Chang also noted that since the math anxious participants showed more total fluctuating brain activity, they were likely utilizing more complex computational strategies. And though there was differing brain activity, similar rates of accuracy and response times were observed in both groups for these simple computations. Therefore, researches speculate that these varying approaches to solving basic math problems may explain the performance gap observed on more complex problems, when math anxious individuals perform significantly lower.
Implications
First, I think it is important to note the reality of a math anxiety disorder. Many young adults may struggle with math without receiving adequate help in dealing with their anxiety, or even without proper diagnosis of their disorder. While researching this topic, I was encouraged when I found multiple university websites that offer advice for how to deal with this condition and set yourself up for mathematical success. Having adequate support and resources is essential. Second, I think this research shows the importance of classrooms and institutions adapting material appropriately for a variety of learning styles. Everyone has a unique brain, but some may require extra support and instruction to adequately comprehend material and flourish in the classroom. This is why research is so important; it explains what was previously a mystery. Now we understand more about the condition of math anxiety and how we can support individuals with it. With adequate research and appropriate resources, it really does all add up.
Sources: Science News, The Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Platonic Realms, and The Neuroscientist Journal.
