Relating Students' Statistics Anxiety and Theories of Intelligence and Ability to Statistics Performance and Attendance

• In Event: 46.086 - Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: 46.086-8 - Motivational and Cognitive Processes: Epistemology

Abstract

This study focused on fifty-four students taking an undergraduate psychology statistics course. The students’ statistics anxiety, theories of intelligence, and theories of statistical ability (a new measure that addresses students’ domain specific beliefs about their statistical abilities) were related to course performance and attendance. Results demonstrate that: 1) statistics anxiety correlates with performance, attendance, and theories of statistical ability, but not with theories of intelligence, 2) theories of intelligence do not correlate with performance or attendance, but entity theories of statistical ability correlate with both performance and attendance, and 3) the relationship between theories of statistical ability and performance is mediated by attendance. We conclude by discussing the educational implications of the results.

Authors

• Rachel Lynn Ankney, The University of Memphis

• Jason Braasch, The University of Memphis

• Ivar Braten, University of Oslo

• Frances K. Daniel, Indiana University - Northwest