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Fear of the Unknown: Relationship between Statistics Anxiety and Attitudes toward Statistics of University Students in Three Countries

Authors :
Malgorzata Korolkiewicz
Nick Fewster-Young
Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos
Florence Gabriel
Pamela Kariuki
Jorge López Puga
Rebecca Marrone
Andrew Miles
Ana María Ruiz-Ruano García
Source :
Teaching Statistics: An International Journal for Teachers. 2025 47(1):17-38.
Publication Year :
2025

Abstract

In an increasingly data-driven world, statistical literacy is a necessity yet statistical learning is often inhibited by statistics anxiety. Using the Auzmendi Scale to Measure Attitude toward Statistics (ASMAS), this study examines how statistics anxiety in university students is related to other dimensions of their attitudes toward statistics and how statistics anxiety and other dimensions change following introductory statistics instruction. Based on data collected from Spain, Canada, and Australia, this study finds that anxiety is negatively related to security--confidence, pleasantness, and motivation. The structure of these relationships is consistent across countries and disciplines and remains in place after statistics instruction. Further, by the end of an introductory statistics course, students report higher security--confidence and pleasantness but lower anxiety. Results thus suggest where efforts to improve students' experience with statistics might need to be directed, and the paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these results for statistics instruction.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0141-982X and 1467-9639
Volume :
47
Issue :
1
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
Teaching Statistics: An International Journal for Teachers
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ1456991
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/test.12381