“For students, perhaps the greatest impact of mathematics anxiety relates to performance, as a strong negative correlation exists between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement (Ashcraft, 2002; Ashcraft & Kirk, 2001; Bandalos, Yates, & Thorndike-Christ, 1995; Cates & Rhymer, 2003; Ma & Xu, 2004; Miller & Bichsel, 2004).”
Source: “I think I can, but I’m afraid to try”: The role of self-efficacy beliefs and mathematics anxiety in mathematics problem-solving efficiency by Bobby Hoffman, 2010
My Thoughts: I’ve seen this in the students that I’ve tutored. They know how to do the work, but when it comes time to do the homework or take a test they freeze up and preform really poorly even though I know they know how to do the work. And then they see how bad they did and it drives their self-confidence down.
“Teachers and students with high mathematics anxiety, irrespective of ability, perceive they are less competent than individuals with lower mathematics anxiety (Ashcraft & Moore, 2009).”
Same source
My Thoughts: Even if they know how to do it, if they’re super anxious they’ll think they’re less competent than someone who doesn’t know how to do it but also doesn’t have anxiety about it. Story of my life; thanks Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. x-x
“Self-perceptions may result in lower achievement outcomes and a predetermined attitude towards mathematics which can influence dispositions towards learning (Ferla, Valcke & Cai, 2009; Peterson, Fennema, Carpenter, & Loef, 1989). For example, Meece, Wigfield, and Eccles (1990) used structural equation modeling to test the relations among grades, perceptions of mathematics ability, and performance and value perceptions on mathematics anxiety. Performance expectations had the strongest direct effects on anxiety leading to the conclusion that “students’ interpretations of outcomes, not the outcomes themselves have the strongest effects on affective reactions” (p. 68).“
Same source
My Thoughts: This is like a viscous cycle -- you’re anxious that you won’t do well, so even though you know the material you don’t do as well which makes you think that you don’t know how to do it so the next time you go to do it you’ll be anxious because you didn’t do well EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THE MATERIAL.