Focuses on attitudes toward mathematics and correlated outcomes in a college-level social-statistics course. Examines differences between males and females, African-American, Hispanic, and Caucasian students. Contains 27 references. (DDR)

Very little research has been performed which examines gender differences in confidence in highly specified situations. More generalized studies consistently suggest that women are less confident than men (i.e. Sadker and Sadker, 1994). The few studies of gender differences in item-specific conditions indicate that men tend to be more confident in…

Suggests that sex differences in spatial visualization and restructurization are confounded by differences in attitudes toward mathematics and mathematical abilities as well as by task and ego-oriented factors. Subjects were 86 male and female college students. (Author/MP)

To learn more about the specific nature of the teaching and learning problems involved, researchers conducted a clinical study of 20 high school students enrolled a BASIC course. Investigators presented each student with a sequence of eight programming problems, ranging from easy to difficult. They asked questions to track student thinking and…

The study was conducted to determine which variables present among nursery school children influence a child's perception of his teacher's role as a problem solver. The variables tested for included: (1) the race of the teacher; (2) the nature of the problem--one involving personal needs (affective) or one involving classroom achievement…

A study in which 92 second-year medical students wrote essays on ethical dilemmas found most students were familiar with major ethical theories and principles currently in use and able to apply them appropriately. Gender differences were found in choice of topic, ethical principles used, and level of personal orientation. (Author/MSE)

Nine experiments were performed to verify and extend studies on sex differences in problem solving conducted in the 1950s by Sweeney, Carey, Milton, Nakamura, and Berry. A 20-item problem set was administered to over 1,000 college students. Results indicated a male advantage, averaging 35 percent, virtually identical with 1950s results. (Author/BS)

Given the importance of assessing stability of university student help source preferences and the lack of such information in the literature, an investigation of help source preferences over a 10-year period was conducted. A help source questionnaire was administered to 118 incoming university freshmen in 1976 and to 462 incoming freshmen in 1986.…

This study investigated the responses to Bronfenbrenner's and Kohlberg's moral dilemmas of 90 Hausa Muslim day and boarding students. Subjects tended to resolve Bronfenbrenner's dilemmas in an adult-approved direction. Day students showed more advanced moral reasoning than boarding students, but sex and socioeconomic differences were not apparent.…

In a study to determine whether a male/female difference existed in the type of software preschool children selected and preferred (drill and practice or problem solving), results indicate no preference by sex was expressed; rather, there was an overwhelming preference for problem solving software by both males and females. (MBR)

A survey of 98 educators of the gifted in South Dakota indicated that respondents viewed gifted females as self-confident, having nontraditional career plans, experiencing deeper satisfaction from their talents, having a greater interest in science and math, worrying about success and failure equally, and being more global in their problem solving…

This paper reviews literature documenting gender differences in beliefs related to mathematics achievement. The areas included in the discussion are: (1) gender differences in mathematics achievement and self-referenced cognitions, (2) the effect of confidence and anxiety on mathematics performance and expenditure of effort, and (3) confidence and…

Described are differences in the mathematical problem-solving performance of third-grade gifted and fifth-grade average students observed during an eight-week period. Results indicate that attitudes, motivation, and belief systems were important to performance. There were major differences in problem-solving behavior between boys and girls.…

Presents the results of research on environmental education in Zimbabwe focusing on gender differences in knowledge, attitudes, problem-solving skills, and environmental activities. Of (n=555) secondary school students, girls generally had more environmental knowledge than boys. Attitudes toward environmental issues were mixed. Girls tended to be…

Two research reports are included in this document. The first is a study of children's anxiety. A sixteen-item trait anxiety scale was used on a population of students in grades 4 through 6. The first ten items measured anxiety about making mistakes in performing physical education activities, and the remaining six items measured general anxiety.…