Individual variation in mathematical skills can be ascribed to differences in cognitive ability, but also to students’ emotional experiences of mathematics, such as enjoyment and anxiety. The... Show moreIndividual variation in mathematical skills can be ascribed to differences in cognitive ability, but also to students’ emotional experiences of mathematics, such as enjoyment and anxiety. The current study investigated how the interplay of working memory with math anxiety and enjoyment explains mathematical performance in primary school students. We also explored whether these relations differed with the type of math test and students’ age. Using mixed effect models, we reanalyzed data from 4471 Dutch primary school students (grades 2–6) who had completed two computerized working memory tasks, had filled out a questionnaire on math emotions, and had completed two math tests: story problems and speeded arithmetic. Findings showed that working memory, anxiety, and enjoyment were linear (but not curvilinear) predictors of performance on both tests, while some relations were stronger for the math (story)-problem-solving test. Higher math anxiety negatively impacted performance more strongly for students with stronger working memory skills, but only on the arithmetic test. No interaction between working memory and enjoyment was found. The relation between math anxiety and math performance increased with grade level, but no other age-related changes were found. Interpretations and recommendations focus on situated views on learning and emotion. Show less
The study at hand focuses on the control of sex and youngsters through the response by authorities most notably from within criminal justice. This dissertation consists of five articles and a... Show moreThe study at hand focuses on the control of sex and youngsters through the response by authorities most notably from within criminal justice. This dissertation consists of five articles and a concluding chapter. The emphasis of this study is on the societal interests as protected by the authorities. This approach provides a useful complement to more conventional research on sexual abuse and sexual transgression. In a lot of studies the behavior of individuals receives most attention and not the response by authorities, which can be indicative of the way authorities envision the organization of society. It is this organization through the control of youth and sex that sets this study apart from other studies. Show less
