Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Attitude towards mathematics: emotions, expectations and values

  • Published:
Educational Studies in Mathematics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article suggests a new framework for analysing attitude and changes in attitude. After reviewing relevant findings in the field of psychology of emotions, the author will provide a new conceptualisation for attitude. Four different evaluative processes are identified as aspects of attitude: emotions aroused in the situation, emotions associated with the stimuli, expected consequences, and relating the situation to personal values. The usefulness of this analytical framework will be illustrated with an exemplary case study. An ethnographic case study of Rita, a lower secondary school student, will be analysed. The case study will describe her negative attitude towards mathematics, and then examine how negative emotions developed during problem solving situations. Within half a year her attitude towards mathematics changed dramatically to more positive.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Bereiter, C. and Scardamalia, M.: 1996, 'Rethinking learning', in D.R. Olson and N. Torrance (eds.), The Handbook of Education and Human Development; New Models of Learning, Teaching and Schooling, Blackwell, London, pp. 485–513.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boaler, J.: 1997a, Experiencing School Mathematics. Teaching Styles, Sex, and Setting, UK: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boaler, J.: 1997b, 'Reclaiming school mathematics: the girls fight back', Gender and Education 9, 285–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boaler, J.: 1998, 'Open and closed mathematics: student experiences and understandings', Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 29, 41–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buck, R.: 1999, 'The Biological Affects: A Typology', Psychological Review 106(2), 301–336.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeBellis, V.A. and Goldin, G.A.: 1997, 'The affective domain in mathematical problem solving', in E. Pehkonen (ed.), Proceedings of the 21st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 2, University of Helsinki, Lahti, Finland, pp. 209–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Martino, P. and Zan, R.: 2001, 'Attitude toward mathematics: some theoretical issues', in M. van den Heuvel-Panhuizen (ed.), Proceedings of the 25th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 3, Freudenthal Institute, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Neatherlands, pp. 209–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eagly, A.H. and Chaiken, S.: 1993, The Psychology of Attitudes, Harcourt Brace College Publishers, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frost, L.A., Hyde, J.S. and Fennema, E.: 1994, 'Gender, mathematics performance, and mathematics related attitudes and affect: a meta-analytic synthesis', International Journal of Educational Research 21, 373–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guba, E.G. and Lincoln, Y.S.: 1994, 'Competing paradigms in qualitative research', in N.K. Denzin and Y.S. Lincoln (eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage, Thousand Oaks, California, pp. 105–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haladyna, T., Shaughnessy, J. and Shaughnessy, J.M.: 1983, 'A causal analysis of attitude toward mathematics', Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 14, 19–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannula, M.S., Malmivuori, M.-L. and Pehkonen, E.: 1996, 'Research project: development of mathematical beliefs', in E. Pehkonen (ed.), Current State of Research on Mathematical Beliefs; Proceedings of the MAVI-3 workshop; August 23-26, 1996, Research report 170, Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, pp. 39–48.

  • Hannula, M.S.: 1998a, 'Teacher as an enactivist researcher', in M. Hannula (ed.), Current State of Research on Mathematical Beliefs: Proceedings of the MAVI-5 Workshop, Research report 184, Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, pp. 23–29.

  • Hannula, M.S.: 1998b, 'That was really stupid. You don't need such in life”', in G. Törner (ed.), Current State of Research on Mathematical Beliefs VI; Proceedings of the MAVI Workshop, University of Duisburg, March 6.-9., 1998, Schriftenraiche des Fachbereichs Mathematik, SM-DU-404, Gerhard-Mercator-Universität Duisburg Gesamthochschule, Germany, pp. 27–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannula, M.S.: 1998c, 'Changes of beliefs and attitudes', in E. Pehkonen and G. Törner (eds.), The State-of-Art in Mathematics-Related Belief Research; Results of the MAVI Activities. Research report 184, Department of teacher education. University of Helsinki, pp. 198–222.

  • Hannula, M.S.: 1998d, 'The case of Rita: “Maybe I started to like math more.”' in A. Olivier and K. Newstead (eds.), Proceedings of the 22 nd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Vol 3, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, pp. 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannula, M.S.: 1998e, 'That must have been the nicest thing exactly that one understands the topic!' in T. Breiteg and G. Brekke (eds.), Theory into practice in Mathematics Education; Proceedings of Norma 98 the Second Nordic Conference on Mathematics Education, Agder College, Norway, Research Series No. 13, pp. 147–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannula, M.S.: 2000, 'Mathematics, emotions, and math attitude - two case studies' in K. Hag, I. Holden and P. van Marion (eds.), Handling bak ordene; Artikler om jenter og matematik [Actions behind words; Articles about girls and mathematics], Norway, Trondheim: Norges teknisk-naturvitenskaplige universitetet, pp. 75–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannula, M.S.: 2001a, 'Intimacy and self-defence in problem solving', in E. Pehkonen (ed.), Problem Solving Around the World; Proceedings of the Topic Study Group 11 (Problem solving in mathematics education) at the ICME-9 meeting August 2000 in Japan, University of Turku, Faculty of Education, Report series C:14, pp. 67–73.

  • Hannula, M.S.: 2001b, 'The metalevel of emotion-cognition interaction', in M. Ahtee, O. Björkqvist, E. Pehkonen and V. Vatanen (eds.), Research on Mathematics and Science Education. From Beliefs to Cognition, from Problem Solving to Understanding, Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä, pp. 55–65.

  • Hannula, M.S.: In print, 'A case study of two students' belief systems and goal systems in a conflict over teaching methods', Proceedings of Norma 2001 conference, 8 p.

  • Hannula, M.S.: Forthcoming. '“So I changed my attitude” A case study of attitude and its development', A presentation held at the annual meeting of 'Matematiikan ja luonnontieteen opetuksen tutkimusseura' [the Finnish society for research on mathematics and science education] in Tampere 28.9.-29.9.2001.

  • Hembree, R.: 1990, 'The nature, effects, and relief of mathematics anxiety', Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 21, 33–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Isoda, M. and Nakagoshi, A.: 2000, 'A case study of student emotional change using changing heart rate in problem posing and solving Japanese classroom in mathematics', in T. Nakahara and M. Koyama (eds.) Proceedings of the 24th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education Vol. 3, Hiroshima, Japan, pp. 87–94.

  • Lazarus, R.S.: 1991, Emotion and Adaptation, Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leder, G.: 1995, 'Equity inside the mathematics classroom: Fact or artifact?', in W.G. Secada, E. Fennema and L.B. Adajian (eds.), New Directions for Equity in Mathematics Education, Cambridge University Press.

  • Ma, X. and Kishor, N.: 1997, 'Assessing the relationship between attitude toward mathematics and achievement in mathematics: A meta-analyses', Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 28(1), 26–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandler, G.: 1989, 'Affect and learning: Causes and consequences of emotional interactions', in D.B. McLeod and V.M. Adams (eds.), Affect and Mathematical Problem Solving; A New Perspective, Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 3–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLeod, D.B.: 1992, 'Research on affect in mathematics education: a reconceptualization', in D.A. Grouws (ed.), Handbook of Research on Mathematics Learning and Teaching, MacMillan, New York, pp. 575–596.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLeod, D.B.: 1994, 'Research on affect and mathematics learning in the JRME: 1970 to the present', Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 24, 637–647.

    Google Scholar 

  • Power, M. and Dalgleish, T.: 1997, Cognition and Emotion; From order to disorder, Psychology Press, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, D.: 1996, 'Enactivism as a methodology', in L. Puig and A. Gutièrrez (eds.), Proceedings of the 20th Conference of the International group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 4., pp. 203–210.

  • Ridlon, C.L.: 1999, 'How a problem centered curriculum enhanched the learning of low acheivers', in F. Hitt and M. Santos (eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty First Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol 2., ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education, Columbus, OH, pp. 582–587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruffell, M., Mason, J. and Allen, B.: 1998, 'Studying attitude to mathematics', Educational Studies in Mathematics 35, 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solar, C.: 1995, 'An inclusive pedagogy in mathematics education', Educational Studies in Mathematics 28, 311–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J.M.G., Watts, F.N., MacLeod, C. and Mathews, A.: 1988, Cognitive Psychology and Emotional Disorders, Wiley, Chichester, UK.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku, Kuusikallionkuja 3 C 44, 02210, Espoo, Finland

    Markku S. Hannula

Authors
  1. Markku S. Hannula
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hannula, M.S. Attitude towards mathematics: emotions, expectations and values. Educational Studies in Mathematics 49, 25–46 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016048823497

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016048823497

Keywords

Search

Navigation