The Study of Mathematics By High School Girls and Boys: Related Variables

Reported is a study comparing females and males enrolled in high school mathematics classes on their intent to enroll in additional mathematics classes, and affective variables related to this intent. Significantly more males than females, especially from the lower half of the achievement distribution, intended to continue to study mathematics. Controlling for cognitive differences 10th and 11th grade students differing in intent to take mathematics (n = 716), responded differently to nearly all of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales. When girls and boys were “equated” for cognitive variables and intent to study mathematics, few sex-related differences in attitudes toward mathematics were found.