I am sure we are all aware that anxiety about math affects many
psychology students in classes like Statistics and Research Methods.
Beyond this fear, I wonder if anyone is aware of research to suggest
that people would take active measures to ensure failure (or passing
with a low grade) in a class if their self-concept does not allow for
success in that subject. Specifically, I am thinking of bright counseling-
oriented students who don't do as well in statistics as they could, given
their obvious understanding of the concepts, because they don't
perceive themselves as good in math.
There seems to be a widespread belief that a person is either good with
numbers or people and you can't be good with both. I think I have seen
cases where testing and other methods showed that a student had an
aptitude for the material but a lower grade resulted from not turning in
assignments or not taking time to do them right. If there is evidence for
such a phenomenon, I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for how to
overcome this belief, specifically in a Statistics or Methods class. I will
be teaching Stats in Mayterm and the Fall and would be happy to
receive any suggestions. How might we make it socially desirable to do
well in Statistics? Thanks,
Rick
Dr. Rick Froman
Psychology Department
Box 3055
John Brown University
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.jbu.edu/sbs/psych
Office: (501)524-7295
Fax: (501)524-9548
"The plural of anecdote is not data."
- Roger Brinner, Economist, Data Resources International
