Sex-related differences in mathematics achievement and attitudes among high school seniors

The purpose of this study was to investigate sex differences in mathematics achievement and attitudes toward mathematics among high school seniors. In addition the study investigated the relationship between mathematics achievement and attitudes among twelfth grade males and the relationship between mathematics achievement and attitudes among twelfth grade females.

Students who participated in the study were seniors in the two high schools of McMinn County, Tennessee, during the school year 1980-81. All seniors were given the opportunity to participate; however, only 51 percent chose to do so by giving permission and responding to the statements on the attitude scales. The scales used to investigate attitudes were the Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scales. Six attitudes which are thought to be related to learning mathematics were measured. Mathematics achievement was assessed by computing the grade point average for each student from semester averages on the student's permanent record.

The attitude scales were administered by home room teachers in March, 1981. Grades were obtained from the permanent records by the researcher after grades for spring semester, 1981, were recorded. Information from students who had completed the same number and kind of mathematics courses was grouped together, and each group was further divided into male or female. A total of five levels--names for the highest level of mathematics completed--was used. These were General Mathematics, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Advanced Mathematics. After subdividing each level into male or female, there were ten groups. The study's four hypotheses were tested by using a one-way analysis of variance, the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, and Spearman Rho correlation coefficients,

Tests revealed significant differences on the grade point average in favor of females at the Geometry and Algebra II levels, but no significant differences at the other levels. When comparing attitudes of males and females, there were significant differences in the attitude that mathematics is a male domain at every level except the Algebra II level. Responses of females at all other levels revealed that they thought of mathematics as a subject in which girls can perform as well as boys, but males thought boys do better than girls. Sex differences in responses to each of the other attitudes tested did not reveal enough significant differences to make any conclusions concerning them.

The tests for correlation between grade point average and each of the six attitudes showed these correlations to be significant for females on four of these attitudes at the Geometry level and at the Advanced Mathematics level, on three attitudes at the Algebra I level, and on one attitude at the General Mathematics and Algebra II level females. For males, there were fewer significant correlations between the grade point average and the six attitudes. Correlations were significant for males on three attitudes at the Algebra I level and on one attitude at the Geometry and Advanced Mathematics levels.

In conclusion, the few sex differences in achievement There are which exist among these seniors favor females. few differences in attitudes toward mathematics between the sexes except in considering mathematics as a subject more appropriate for males than for females. These senior males viewed mathematics in this way, but the females did not. Significant relationships between grade point average and attitudes toward mathematics are found frequently among these females but not among the males.