Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety
Abstract This study aimed to examine the emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety (MA). Undergraduate participants with low (n = 32) and high (n = 29) MA assessed math-related pictures, along with pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures, in terms of valence,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12347-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849332848676306944 |
|---|---|
| author | Rocío Linares Santiago Pelegrina Rafael Delgado-Rodríguez |
| author_facet | Rocío Linares Santiago Pelegrina Rafael Delgado-Rodríguez |
| author_sort | Rocío Linares |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study aimed to examine the emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety (MA). Undergraduate participants with low (n = 32) and high (n = 29) MA assessed math-related pictures, along with pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures, in terms of valence, arousal, and dominance. The high-MA group assessed math-related pictures with lower valence and dominance, and higher arousal, than neutral pictures. Indeed, they emotionally processed the math-related pictures similarly to unpleasant low-arousing images (e.g., pictures of heavily polluted environments). Both groups significantly differed only for the math-related pictures: the high-MA group scored lower in valence and dominance and higher in arousal compared to the low-MA group. These results indicate that math-related pictures are charged emotional cues, which moderately activate the defensive motivational system in individuals with MA. The present study contributes to our understanding of the threatening nature of images depicting math contents embedded in an ecological environment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d5ec10ebc5a149669285b9dbc876d489 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-d5ec10ebc5a149669285b9dbc876d4892025-08-20T03:46:04ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111410.1038/s41598-025-12347-2Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxietyRocío Linares0Santiago Pelegrina1Rafael Delgado-Rodríguez2Department of Psychology, University of JaénDepartment of Psychology, University of JaénDepartment of Psychology, University of JaénAbstract This study aimed to examine the emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety (MA). Undergraduate participants with low (n = 32) and high (n = 29) MA assessed math-related pictures, along with pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures, in terms of valence, arousal, and dominance. The high-MA group assessed math-related pictures with lower valence and dominance, and higher arousal, than neutral pictures. Indeed, they emotionally processed the math-related pictures similarly to unpleasant low-arousing images (e.g., pictures of heavily polluted environments). Both groups significantly differed only for the math-related pictures: the high-MA group scored lower in valence and dominance and higher in arousal compared to the low-MA group. These results indicate that math-related pictures are charged emotional cues, which moderately activate the defensive motivational system in individuals with MA. The present study contributes to our understanding of the threatening nature of images depicting math contents embedded in an ecological environment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12347-2Math anxietyMath picturesEmotional picturesEmotional processingSelf-Assessment Manikin |
| spellingShingle | Rocío Linares Santiago Pelegrina Rafael Delgado-Rodríguez Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety Scientific Reports Math anxiety Math pictures Emotional pictures Emotional processing Self-Assessment Manikin |
| title | Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety |
| title_full | Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety |
| title_fullStr | Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety |
| title_short | Mathematics on the blackboard! Emotional processing of math-related pictures in individuals with math anxiety |
| title_sort | mathematics on the blackboard emotional processing of math related pictures in individuals with math anxiety |
| topic | Math anxiety Math pictures Emotional pictures Emotional processing Self-Assessment Manikin |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12347-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rociolinares mathematicsontheblackboardemotionalprocessingofmathrelatedpicturesinindividualswithmathanxiety AT santiagopelegrina mathematicsontheblackboardemotionalprocessingofmathrelatedpicturesinindividualswithmathanxiety AT rafaeldelgadorodriguez mathematicsontheblackboardemotionalprocessingofmathrelatedpicturesinindividualswithmathanxiety |