Abstract
Differences in attitude towards mathematics between boys and girls were evaluated in an empirical study carried out in (west)German secondary schools during 1989 on a group of 748 students aged 14–19. The main focus of the study was to ascertain whether the results from previous studies of the last decade, which reported significant differences between boys' and girls' attitudes to mathematics, were still valid.
This study shows there are still significant gender differences in many areas, such as: interest in mathematics, importance of high attainment in mathematics, willingness to consider entering a career involving mathematics and mathematical activities and themes from the real world which interest the pupils. Despite these still prevailing gender differences, the study nevertheless shows that girls' and boys' views on gender roles and corresponding areas of activities have changed considerably in recent years (note 1).
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Kaiser-Messmer, G. Results of an empirical study into gender differences in attitudes towards mathematics. Educ Stud Math 25, 209–233 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01273862
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01273862