Sex role attitudes and mathematical ability in 4th-, 8th-, and 11th-grade students from a high socioeconomic area.

Examined gender differences in mathematical ability, relationship of sex-role attitudes to mathematical ability, and age-related changes in attitude toward math. 317 4th, 8th, and 11th graders of high SES were given a sex-role standards attitude scale and either the Stanford Mathematics Achievement Test or the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test. Overall, no significant differences by sex were found in math ability. Sex-role attitudes related to higher math scores at the 4th- and 8th-grade levels. Females tended to express positive attitudes toward mathematics at all grade levels—significantly more so than males at the 11th-grade level. Implications are discussed in terms of culturally influenced sex-role attitudes and characteristics of this SES. Girls of this SES may receive more parental encouragement and have different role models than average children. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)