28.12.2013 Views

The Effect of Background Music on the Mathematics Test Anxiety of ...

The Effect of Background Music on the Mathematics Test Anxiety of ...

The Effect of Background Music on the Mathematics Test Anxiety of ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Abstract<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Effect</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Background</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Music</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

On <strong>the</strong> Ma<strong>the</strong>matics <strong>Test</strong> <strong>Anxiety</strong><br />

Of College Algebra Students<br />

Stephanie E. Haynes<br />

This study investigated <strong>the</strong> effect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> background music, played prior to an exam, <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

ma<strong>the</strong>matics test anxiety and academic achievement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> college algebra students. Two<br />

research questi<strong>on</strong>s were posed. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> first questi<strong>on</strong> inquired if <strong>the</strong> use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> background<br />

music played while students study 10 minutes prior to an exam, as opposed to <strong>the</strong><br />

students studying in silence 10 minutes prior to an exam, reduced <strong>the</strong> level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

ma<strong>the</strong>matics test anxiety. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> sec<strong>on</strong>d questi<strong>on</strong> inquired if <strong>the</strong>re would be a significant<br />

difference in <strong>the</strong> achievement scores <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> students exposed to background music while<br />

studying to background music. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> participants were 160 college algebra students at<br />

West Virginia University. All participants completed a revised versi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> MARS and<br />

<strong>the</strong> first college algebra exam for <strong>the</strong> semester in <strong>the</strong> course. Data analyses indicated that<br />

studying to background music reduced <strong>the</strong> math anxiety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> participants. Achievement<br />

scores were not affected by <strong>the</strong> background music for ei<strong>the</strong>r high anxiety students or low<br />

anxiety students.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!