The real reason you’re bad at math (and how to fix it)

Summary

In this video, Han discusses the common experience of math anxiety, which affects 93% of American adults. She shares symptoms such as stress, procrastination, and feelings of inadequacy around math. Drawing from her own experience and research, Han explores how negative influences from teachers, parents, and societal stereotypes can worsen math anxiety. She suggests techniques like Emotional Freedom Tapping (EFT) and journaling to manage anxiety. Han emphasizes that math anxiety often stems from external pressures, not inherent ability, and encourages viewers to adopt a positive mindset and seek support for overcoming their fears of math.

Takeaways

• 😀 Math anxiety is a common issue that affects 93% of American adults and can severely impact one's relationship with math.
• 😀 Feeling overwhelmed by math often stems from anxiety, not a lack of ability. In fact, math anxiety can lead to poor performance.
• 😀 Teachers' and parents' attitudes can significantly influence students' math anxiety, with negative experiences often exacerbating the problem.
• 😀 Math anxiety can be particularly high in female students, partly due to stereotypes that girls are not as good at math.
• 😀 Math anxiety can harm your cognitive function, particularly affecting working memory, which is crucial for reasoning and decision-making.
• 😀 It's important to realize that your math ability isn't tied to your identity. Even top mathematicians, like Fields Medal winner Laurent Schwartz, struggled with doubts about their math skills.
• 😀 Journaling is a helpful tool for processing and managing negative emotions surrounding math, allowing individuals to sort through their feelings.
• 😀 A lack of foundational knowledge is a major contributor to math anxiety. It's crucial to identify missing concepts and build understanding step-by-step.
• 😀 Gender stereotypes often discourage girls from pursuing STEM careers, though studies show no cognitive differences in math abilities between genders.
• 😀 Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, can help manage math anxiety by reducing negative emotions and improving focus.
• 😀 Practicing affirmations and engaging in self-care, like journaling, can help reduce math anxiety and build confidence in math skills.

Q & A

What is math anxiety, and how does it manifest?

Math anxiety is a feeling of stress or fear related to math. It can manifest as avoidance of math, procrastination, a sense of helplessness, and the belief that one is 'naturally bad' at math. Some individuals may also feel overwhelmed or embarrassed when faced with math problems.

What percentage of American adults have experienced math anxiety?

According to the speaker, 93% of American adults have experienced math anxiety at some point.

What are some common symptoms of math anxiety mentioned in the video?

The symptoms include stress at the thought of math, avoidance or procrastination, feelings of inadequacy, expecting failure, depending on others for help, and anxiety during math tests or in classroom situations.

How can math anxiety affect a person's performance and career choices?

Math anxiety can significantly impair performance in math, leading to poor academic results. It can also influence career choices, especially for women, who might avoid STEM fields due to a perceived lack of ability.

What cognitive function is negatively affected by math anxiety?

Math anxiety weakens working memory, which is the cognitive system responsible for holding and processing information temporarily. A weakened working memory can make it difficult to focus, reason, and make decisions effectively.

What role do teachers and parents play in the development of math anxiety?

Teachers and parents can greatly influence the development of math anxiety. Negative attitudes from teachers, such as condescending behavior or lack of support, and discouraging comments from parents, such as telling a child they're 'not smart enough' at math, can contribute to anxiety and a lack of confidence.

How does math anxiety differ in various countries or cultures?

Research shows that math anxiety tends to be higher in Asian countries, while Eastern European countries often report lower levels of anxiety and higher self-confidence in math. Cultural attitudes toward math and education play a significant role in these differences.

Why is it important to address the influence of stereotypes on math anxiety?

Stereotypes, such as the belief that girls are not as good at math, can exacerbate math anxiety. These stereotypes can undermine self-confidence, leading to avoidance of math and discouragement from pursuing STEM careers, despite evidence that girls perform just as well as boys in math on average.

What are some effective strategies to overcome math anxiety?

Effective strategies include practicing emotional freedom techniques (EFT) like tapping, which helps reduce negative emotions. Journaling can also help by allowing individuals to process and reflect on their feelings. Additionally, addressing knowledge gaps by reviewing foundational concepts is crucial to building confidence in math.

How does journaling help with math anxiety?

Journaling allows individuals to process their emotions, sort through their thoughts, and gain clarity. It can help manage anxiety by providing an outlet for negative emotions and offering a structured way to cope with stress related to math.