This study investigated the effect of attitudes toward mathematics-related coursework, previous mathematics coursework, student sex, spatial ability, and masculinity-femininity of interest pattern on statistics achievement. Subjects were 188 students from the inferential statistics classes taught at a midwestern university during 1977-1978. Instruments administered were five spatial visualization ability subtests of the Factor-Referenced Cognitive Tests, Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales, the Masculinity-Femininity scale of the MMPI, the Attitudes Toward Feminist Issues Scale, and a biographical data sheet. Sex-related differences were found on two of the mathematics attitude scales, on three of the five spatial visualization subtests, and on the total points achieved in the statistics course. Regression analyses were performed to determine the predictors of success in statistics courses.
The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education