2013 Volume 2 Issue 1 Pages 31-39
In study 1, the scale of feeling poor at mathematics was developed using questionnaire data from 217 undergraduates. A factor analysis revealed that 39 items were comprised of two factors. In study 2, 176 undergraduates were asked to complete the scale to identify High and Low groups, and to perform two mathematical problems using the experimental procedure of a typical learned helplessness paradigm. The first preliminary task was not-solvable for the experimental group but solvable for the control group, while the second test task was solvable for both groups. Before and after each task, the students were asked to complete three psychological assessments: state anxiety, perceived control, and perceived success. An ANOVA indicated that the High group performed the second task significantly worse than the Low group. The results indicate that the strength of feeling poor at mathematics has more effect on performance in mathematical problems than experiences of uncontrollable failure as assessed by a learned helplessness paradigm.
