Motivation and good studying strategies, not IQ, predict the growth in math abilities, a new study shows.
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Looks like Tiger Mom had it half-right: Motivation to work hard and good study techniques, not IQ, lead to better math skills, a new study shows.
But there's a catch: The findings, published this month in the journal Child Development, show that keeping children's heads in the math books by force probably won't help.
The analysis of more than 3,500 German children found those who started out solidly in the middle of the pack in 5th grade could jump to the 63rd percentile by 8th grade if they were very motivated and used effective learning strategies, said lead author Kou Murayama, a psychology researcher at the University of California Los Angeles.
"The growth in math achievement was predicted by motivation and learning strategies," Murayama told LiveScience. "Given that IQ did not show this kind of effect, we think this is impressive."
Math on the brain
Just how innate math skills are is a controversial question. Some studies show that math skills emerge in babies, while others show that culture plays a huge role in shaping those skills.
For instance, men consistently outperform women on standardized math tests. But those differences may be due to math anxiety, or cultural influences, other studies have shown.
And in opinion surveys, people in Eastern countries often rate effort as most important to math ability, while Westerners typically say math ability is inborn.
Major improvements
To find out which factor was more important, Murayama's team tracked about 3,500 children from Bavaria as they completed an IQ test and an assessment of their algebraic and geometric know-how from 5th grade to 10th grade.
The researchers also gave students surveys that measured intrinsic motivation to work at math by asking them to rate, on a scale of 1 to 5, how much they agreed with statements like, "I invest a lot of effort in math, because I am interested in the subject." They also reported how motivated they were by outside factors like getting good grades.
The survey also asked students how much they relied on rote memorization versus "deep-learning" strategies that had them tie their math knowledge to other areas of their life.
Not surprisingly, at the start of the study, kids with high IQs performed the best at math.
But in a vindication of exacting Tiger Moms everywhere, effective studying techniques and motivation, not IQ, predicted who had most improved their math skills by 10th grade. Kids who started out with average math abilities but were in the top 10 percent in terms of learning strategies and motivation jumped up by about 13 percentage points over the course of the study in their math abilities, Murayama said. Apathetic kids with high IQs showed no such jump.
Inner drive
Unfortunately, forcing kids to hit the books every night won't create mini-math prodigies. External factors such as parental pressure or grades didn't create a lasting boost in math ability.
"It is not a good idea to force students to learn mathematics," Murayama said.
Instead, people who were driven by their own interest improved the most. So rather than keeping Junior's nose to the grindstone, it may be more helpful for parents or teachers to show him how math ties to real life (for instance, understanding that two $3 candy bars cost $6 rather than just memorizing times tables), he said.
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9 Comments
Add CommentSo now what do we do with the PLOS 1 study that says math gives people physical pain? I posted this with a little bit of satire but it's full on study with MRI brain studies, etc. I try to get people interested in a tiny bit of math or at least understand that it's running the economics today and be aware. I did kind of chuckle when I read the Plos One study as I thought to myself, gee this is why those who have blocked the pain or don't have any fear of math have all the money. Does this explain how the algorithms moved all the money in the world because of this fear and pain, if so that explains a lot or gives us something to blame it on:) So coupled with this article motivation is the key factor and not IQ so more folks theoretically can get into math, after conquering the pain and fear:)Nice!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI can't enter a link here so you can search Algo Duping Plos One Journal in Google to find it.
Why does the conclusion of this study surprise anyone? Kids who are more interested in math and have better studying techniques are more likely to improve in it? Seriously? This required a scientific study? If anyone wants to give me a fat grant I've just developed a similar hypothesis that kids who are more interested in History and have better studying techniques are more likely to improve at History. If I get encouraging results maybe I'll try to answer the age old question of whether kids who are more interested in Latin and have better studying techniques are more likely to improve at Latin.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Why does the conclusion of this study surprise anyone? Kids who are more interested in math and have better studying techniques are more likely to improve in it?"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs usual the corollary is mistaken for the conclusion! The point is that none of the wizard wheezes like intensive study camps that we have seen foisted on children by 'concerned' educationalists and eager beaver parents is in the least bit effective in 'challenging' the status quo. Regrettably this will almost certainly fail to change policy - Governments have to be seen to be doing something, after all - but we can dream!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMost of the time I doubt about the impact of the IQ
And this article makes me doubt more
The genetics can't be the primary reason of our academic achievement level
I think the biggest impact is in the self choice of being successful or failure
Since these were "middle of the pack" kids there probably was not a great deal of difference in their IQs. I don't think it makes much sense to ask whether IQ or motivation are the biggest factor as they aren't measured on the same scale. Certainly we should applaud efforts to motivate kids to learn. It is rather hard to change their IQ by that age. Good nutrition and a cognitively rich environment when they are very young can affect adult IQ.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSince these were "middle of the pack" kids there probably was not a great deal of difference in their IQs. I don't think it makes much sense to ask whether IQ or motivation are the biggest factor as they aren't measured on the same scale. Certainly we should applaud efforts to motivate kids to learn. It is rather hard to change their IQ by that age. Good nutrition and a cognitively rich environment when they are very young can affect adult IQ.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou managed to get in a dig at religious people in a completely unrelated article about mathematics. That's quite impressive!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is, of course, nonsense and completely irrelevant, but kudos to you for your tenacity!
(Mathematically capable and religious)
The key is IQ didn't matter. 2nd, this helps explain America's math weakness versus other countries. Even though a parent may not have lasting influence, if as a whole society feel math is important that will affect peer's views on math and help students to be more motivated towards math. In America, math is practically discouraged by society rather than embraced. This will have lasting impressions and affects on borderline math students who might have become motivated.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisInterest is indeed the most important factor in performance in Maths or any other field.Interest in anything is self-sustained entertainment. When one is not interested in any thing,one is doing compulsively- one is essentially waylaid by entertainment or any other relieving addiction to counter the compulsive doing.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAnd interest is generated when one is comfortable with uneasiness and uncertainty, one faces in daily life. Interest is vitiated when the energy is dissipated in complaining, blaming on facing uneasiness and uncertainty.
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