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Common causes of mathematics phobia is/are:

Common causes of mathematics phobia is/are: Correct Answer All of the above

Mathematics phobia is one of the important factors. It is the universal belief about mathematics as a 'difficult subject' by perception. Most of the school level students, teachers as well as parents consider mathematics as a difficult subject. So, those students who have already conditioned their minds that mathematics is a difficult subject are usually not serious in the learning of mathematics and therefore perform poorly in mathematics tests and examinations.


Key Points

There are causes related to the classroom and home environment associated with the creation of fear towards mathematics learning. Some very common causes of mathematics phobia are: 

  • Unfavorable school climate: Schools where extremely rigid discipline is maintained in coverage of the course with strict adherence to the textbooks without allowing freedom to children to think and to choose alternative ways to solve mathematical problems create more tension in students towards mathematics.
  • Lack of encouragement from parents and/or teachers: When the child does not get any support from home and encouragement from teachers in the school in learning especially in learning mathematical concepts, anxiety to perform well in the subject increases. Added to this continuous pressure from parents and teachers for better and higher performance in mathematics develops a fear for mathematics in most cases.
  • Lack of positive role models: Sometimes a student in a higher class or a family member with exceptional mathematics abilities inspires the children in lower grades in their mathematics learning. Such a role model is rare to find and the child does not find adequate inspiration towards an abstract subject like mathematics.
  • Ethnic and/or gender stereotypes: There is a common feeling that girls and children from disadvantaged social groups do not perform well in mathematics. Such children are looked down on in mathematics classes and are subjected to humiliating remarks.
  • Mathematics problems being used as punishment in school: In some schools, teachers use mathematics problems as a disciplinary measure and such a practice obviously generates fear for mathematics.


Hence, we can conclude that all of the above are the common causes of mathematics phobia.

Related Questions

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