Do better in math: How your body posture may change stereotype threat response

Abstract

This study investigates posture on mental math performance. One hundred twenty-five students (M = 23.5 years) participated as part of a class activity. Half of the students sat in an erect position while the other half sat in a slouched position and were asked to mentally subtract 7 serially from 964 for 30 s. They then reversed the positions before repeating the math subtraction task beginning at 834. They rated the math task difficulty on a scale from 0 (none) to 10 (extreme). The math test was rated significantly more difficult while sitting slouched (M = 6.2) than while sitting erect (M = 4.9), ANOVA [F(1,243) = 17.06, p < .001]. Participants with the highest test anxiety, math difficulty and blanking out scores (TAMDBOS) rated the math task significantly more difficult in the slouched position (M = 7.0) as compared to the erect position (M = 4.8), ANOVA [F(1,75) = 17.85, p < .001]. Tor the participants with the lowest 30% TAMDBOS, there was no significant difference between slouched (M = 4.90) and erect positions (M = 4.0). The participants with the highest TAMDBOS experienced significantly more somatic symptoms as compared with the lowest TAMDBOS. Discussed are processes such as stereotypic threat associated with a "defense reaction" by which posture can affect mental math and inhibit abstract thinking. Moreover, clinicians who work with students who have learning difficulty may improve outcome if they include posture changes.