Gender Differences in Mathematics Performance: Meta-Analysisand Cognitive Analysis

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

There are now available more than 100 studies providing data on gender differences in mathematics performance, many of them having tested literally thousands of subjects. What is needed is a systematic, meta- analytic synthesis of the existing studies. The objective of the research is to clarify the nature of gender differences in mathematics performance. A detailed meta-analysis of gender differences in mathematics performance, combined with a cognitive-processing analysis, will address important and complex developmental and cognitive issues. In particular, the proposed project will provide answers to the following questions: (1) What is the magnitude of gender differences in mathematics performance, using the d metric? (2) "Mathematics achievement" is a general term encompassing a wide variety of tests, including simple tests of mathematics facts (addition, multiplication problems), word problems, geometry problems, calculus problems, and so on; does the magnitude of the gender difference vary on these different tasks, perhaps being close to zero on some and large on others? (3) Developmentally, at what ages do gender differences appear or disappear, and on which kinds of tests? (4) Combining Hedges' homogeneity statistics (Hedges, 1982, Journal of Education Statistics) with cognitive processing analysis, do males and females differ in some cognitive processes related to mathematics performance, but not on others? (5) To what extent do affective variables (such as confidence, anxiety, attributions, and so on) mediate the gender differences in mathematics performance? The results of the research can make contributions to basic science by providing answers to the questions summarized above. In addition, the research has potential implications for mathematics education (and in turn for science and engineering education, insofar as they are dependent on mathematics education), particularly for sex equity in mathematics education.