Sex Differences in Achievement-Related Affect.

The role of affect in course enrollment decisions and achievement are examined. First, sex differences in the affective reactions believed to mediate student's course enrollment decisions are examined for magnitude and consistency. Then, to gain a better sense of their relative influence in the achievement process, the importance of these responses is then assessed in relation to other attitudinal factors. Variables selected for this analysis included students' self-concept of math ability, their perceptions of the usefulness and importance of math, and their perceptions of their socializers' attitudes and expectancies. Results suggest that the role of sex differences in achievement-related affect has perhaps been overemphasized. While there was a tendency for girls to feel more negative toward math, gender differences were neither as strong nor large as indicated by previous research. (Author/GK)