MODELING THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SOME

ATTITUDINAL VARIABLES TOWARD MATHEMATICS

Ozge Gun & Safure Bulut
Bartin University & Middle East Technical University

In the field of affect many researchers have underlined to clarify constructs such as
beliefs, emotions and attitudes, and to better investigate the relationships among them.
In our previous study we tested the tripartite model of attitude, according to which
attitude has a cognitive, an affective and behavioral component via structural equation
modeling and found significant results. In this paper we hypothesize two additional
structural models that investigate further relationships using the same data for the
previous study. We will present the results and comment upon them.
INTRODUCTION
It is commonly accepted that affective factors play crucial roles in mathematics
learning. There are many studies that have been able to establish a relationship between
attitude and achievement in mathematics. However, many researchers have highlighted
the need of some theory for research on affect, in order to better clarify connections
among the various components, and their interaction with cognitive factors in
mathematics education (McLeod, 1992).
In mathematics education, there is a variety of definitions of the term attitude. Using a
multidimensional definition, attitude toward mathematics comprises three
components: a conception about mathematics, an emotional respond to mathematics,
and a behavioral tendency with regard to mathematics (Hart, 1989). This definition has
gradually been recognized at a theoretical level (Di Martino & Zan, 2011), a tripartite
model, according to which attitude has a cognitive, an affective and a behavioral
component. In our previous study we accepted this tripartite model of attitude and
hypothesized a second-order factor model where attitude is a single second-order
factor; cognitive, affective and behavioral components are second-order factors. In this
study we continue at that point and hypothesized further relationships.
In assessment of attitude, the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales
(FSMAS) (Fennema & Sherman, 1976) remain the most extensively used in research
studies (Hyde et al., 1990). The FSMAS comprise nine scales: Attitudes towards
Success in Mathematics, Mathematics as a Male Domain, Confidence in Learning
Mathematics, Mathematics Anxiety, Effectance Motivation in Mathematics and
Usefulness of Mathematics. They also include Mother, Father and Teacher scales. The
subscales can be used as a set, or individually. Recent studies have generally provided
support for the reliability and validity of the FSMAS (Melancon et al., 1994). In our
previous work we used some of the FSMAS and adapted two more scales all represent
three components of attitude toward mathematics. In the present study we hypothesized

2016. In Csíkos, C., Rausch, A., & Szitányi, J. (Eds.). Proceedings of the 40th Conference of the International
Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Vol. 2, pp. 323–328. Szeged, Hungary: PME. 2–323
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two additional structural models including such variables. The research questions of
the study were:
What is the model explaining relationships among students’ perceptions of their
mathematics teacher’s teaching profession, their mathematics teacher’s, father’s
and mother’s attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of
mathematics, their confidence in learning mathematics, beliefs about the usefulness
and importance of mathematics, liking for mathematics, mathematics anxiety,
behaviors toward mathematics and the time they spent on mathematics at home?
What is the model explaining relationships between students’ perceptions of their
mathematics teacher’s teaching profession, their mathematics teacher’s, father’s
and mother’s attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of
mathematics and cognitive, affective and behavioral components of attitude toward
mathematics?
METHOD
Sample
The sample of the study consisted of 1960 7th grade students enrolled in 19 different
public elementary schools in one of the districts of one of the big cities of Turkey.
Convenience-sampling was used to select the subjects. In the total sample, 1001
(51.1%) students were female and 959 (48.9%) students were male.
Instrument
In order to test the hypothesized models, Attitude Toward Mathematics Questionnaire
(ATMQ) was used. It involves ten scales: confidence in learning mathematics (12
items), usefulness and importance of mathematics (16 items), liking for mathematics
(5 items), mathematics anxiety (12 items), learner behaviors toward mathematics (4
items), time spent on mathematics at home (4 items), father scale (11 items), mother
scale (11 items), teacher scale-I (12 items) and teacher scale-II (7 items) (94 items in
total). It is scaled on a five-point Likert type: strongly agree, agree, undecided,
disagree, and strongly disagree. The subscales confidence in learning mathematics,
usefulness of mathematics, liking for mathematics, mathematics anxiety, father,
mother and teacher-I were adapted from the corresponding subscales of the FSMAS
(Fennema & Sherman, 1976) by Tag (2000); importance of mathematics and teacher-
II were adapted from TIMSS (1999) by Tag (2000); learner behaviors toward
mathematics was adapted from the questions in ‘student interview guide’ developed
by Beth and Neustadt (2005); and time spent on mathematics at home was adapted
from the statements of the instrument developed by Mohamad-Ali (1995).
Preliminary data analyses for the instrument were done to detect the outliers, check the
data recording (data cleaning) and normal distribution of the variables. The alpha
reliability coefficients for ten subscales were found 0.879, 0.878, 0.769, 0.827, 0.599,
0.659, 0.843, 0.840, 0.690 and 0.724, respectively. To test the construct validity of
each subscale and determine whether or not they have sub-dimensions, principle

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component analysis was done. A confirmatory factor analysis with ten factors was
carried out to assess the fit using LISREL. All the fit indices indicated that the model
proposed fitted to the data set.
RESULTS
For testing the proposed models, covariance matrixes were generated using PRELIS.
Significance of the path coefficients was tested through t-tests. Maximum likelihood
estimation was used for estimating parameters of the models.
Results of the First Research Question
In order to test the proposed relationships among variables, a path analytic model was
hypothesized. Initially, to revise the hypothesized model data fit, the selected LISREL-
SIMPLIS model fit indices and the significance of the paths was considered with
respect to the t-test results. In addition, the modification indices were checked and
covariance terms were added if needed. The path between students’ perceptions of their
mother’s attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics and
mathematics anxiety was found to have non-significant t-value; therefore it was
removed from the hypothesized model. Moreover, as a result of inspecting the
modification indices, covariance terms were added between eight pairs of observed
variables. As a result, all the goodness-of-fit indices of the model were investigated
through their criteria and because of RMSEA, it was concluded that the model
indicated a poor fit to the data (χ2 = 443.55, p = .00, df = 14; GFI = .96; AGFI = .83;
SRMR = .063; RMSEA = .13). However, the relationships among the variables of the
proposed model were examined using correlation analysis. Table 1 shows the inter-
correlations of the variables used.
CO UI LIKE ANX MBEH TIME TETP TEST FAST
UI .54
LIKE .62 .62
ANX .69 .48 .59
MBEH .53 .51 .50 .45
TIME .45 .45 .46 .41 .44
TETP .36 .48 .40 .32 .37 .27
TEST .50 .48 .44 .52 .40 .39 .41
FAST .40 .52 .37 .39 .48 .39 .31 .44
MOST .42 .54 .38 .36 .51 .42 .32 .45 .71
Note. CO=Confidence in learning mathematics, UI=Usefulness and importance of mathematics,
LIKE=Liking for mathematics, ANX=Mathematics anxiety, MBEH=Learner behaviors toward
mathematics, TIME=Time spent on mathematics at home, TETP=Students’ perceptions of their
mathematics teacher’s teaching profession, TEST=Students’ perceptions of their mathematics teacher’s
attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics, FAST=Students’ perceptions of
their father’s attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics, MOST=Students’
perceptions of their mother’s attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics.
p<.01
Table 1: Inter-correlations of the variables

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From Table 1, all correlations are positive and significant at the .01 level of
significance.
Results of the Second Research Question
In order to investigate the second research question, a path analytic model with latent
variables was hypothesized. In the model, Cognitive Component of Attitude toward
Mathematics, the Affective Component of Attitude toward Mathematics and the
Behavioral Component of Attitude toward Mathematics latent variables were defined
by their respective observed variables. Same procedures were done for revising the
hypothesized model data fit. The paths between students’ perceptions of their father’s
attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics and affective
component of attitude; students’ perceptions of their father’s attitudes toward and
expectations from them as learners of mathematics and behavioral component of
attitude; and students’ perceptions of their mother’s attitudes toward and expectations
from them as learners of mathematics and cognitive component of attitude indicated
non-significant t-values. Therefore they were removed from the hypothesized model.
Moreover, covariance terms were added between six pairs of observed variables. As a
result, the final model fit indices indicated that our hypothesized path analytic model
with latent variables has an acceptable fit (χ2 = 110.67, p = .00, df = 15; GFI = .99;
AGFI = .96; SRMR = .017; RMSEA = .057). The strength and direction of the
relationships among exogenous and endogenous variables were identified by γ
(lowercase gamma) values and the structural equations of the model fitted for 1960
seventh grade Turkish students were obtained.
DISCUSSION
In the present study, when the models obtained were compared with the hypothesized
models at the beginning of the study, it was seen that some of the proposed
relationships were validated and some of them surprisingly did not. For example, in
the second model obtained, no relationships were found between cognitive component
of attitude toward mathematics and students’ perceptions of their mother’s attitudes
toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics; affective component
of attitude toward mathematics and students’ perceptions of their father’s attitudes
toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics; and behavioral
component of attitude toward mathematics and students’ perceptions of their father’s
attitudes toward and expectations from them as learners of mathematics. Although no
specific finding was obtained in the previous studies investigating the relationships
between the students’ perceptions of their teacher’s and parents’ attitudes toward them
and three components of attitude; there are evidences in the literature that students’
perceptions of their teacher’s (Aiken, 1970; Kulm, 1980; Leder, 1992; Haladyna et al.,
1983) and parents’ (Eccles et al., 1983; Fennema & Sherman, 1976) attitudes toward
and expectations from them as learners of mathematics had effect on their attitudes
toward mathematics.

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The findings of the present study indicated that further research should be conducted
to examine the structure of attitude toward mathematics in terms of cognitive, affective
and behavioral components. The influence of teacher’s and parents’ attitudes and
expectations on three components of attitude should also be investigated. The models
presented for attitude toward mathematics in this study had implications for further
research studies.
Based on both the findings of this study and the related studies in the literature some
implications for research methodology can be drawn. The first improvement needed in
future research is the need to go beyond simplistic positive-negative distinction of
affect. In this study, differentiating attitude toward mathematics as cognitive, affective
and behavioral is very remarkable. Many of the mathematics attitude scales that have
been constructed and used in research studies are generally intended to assess factors
such as liking/disliking, usefulness, confidence. The choice of using items only about
beliefs or emotions does not take into account the behavioral component. What seems
to be implicit in this choice is the assumption that an individual’s behavior toward an
object has not got any meaning about his or her attitude toward that object. Therefore,
in order to assess an attitude, we have to take into account all three components of it
namely, cognitive, affective, and behavioral components.
Regarding affective traits, there is a need for new longitudinal studies with
measurement instruments that would take into account the synergistic relationships
between cognition, emotion, and behavior. Since simple answers cannot satisfy the
complexity of classrooms, more attention should be paid to three main elements in
order to study affect in mathematics education: cognition, emotion, and behavior. It is
highly recommended that the researches on affect in mathematics classrooms should
involve three approaches (observations, interviews, and questionnaire) which focus on
emotional reactions of students in mathematics classes and achieve methodological
triangulation.
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