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Improving numeracy through values affirmation enhances decision and STEM outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Ellen Peters
  • Brittany Shoots-Reinhard
  • Mary Kate Tompkins
  • Dan Schley
  • Louise Meilleur
  • Aleksander Sinayev
  • Martin Tusler
  • Laura Wagner
  • Jennifer Crocker

Abstract

Greater numeracy has been correlated with better health and financial outcomes in past studies, but causal effects in adults are unknown. In a 9-week longitudinal study, undergraduate students, all taking a psychology statistics course, were randomly assigned to a control condition or a values-affirmation manipulation intended to improve numeracy. By the final week in the course, the numeracy intervention (statistics-course enrollment combined with values affirmation) enhanced objective numeracy, subjective numeracy, and two decision-related outcomes (financial literacy and health-related behaviors). It also showed positive indirect-only effects on financial outcomes and a series of STEM-related outcomes (course grades, intentions to take more math-intensive courses, later math-intensive courses taken based on academic transcripts). All decision and STEM-related outcome effects were mediated by the changes in objective and/or subjective numeracy and demonstrated similar and robust enhancements. Improvements to abstract numeric reasoning can improve everyday outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Ellen Peters & Brittany Shoots-Reinhard & Mary Kate Tompkins & Dan Schley & Louise Meilleur & Aleksander Sinayev & Martin Tusler & Laura Wagner & Jennifer Crocker, 2017. "Improving numeracy through values affirmation enhances decision and STEM outcomes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0180674
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180674
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Elisa Darriet & Marianne Guille & Jean-Christophe Vergnaud, 2021. "Financial Literacy and Numeracy," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 21031, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    2. Callis, Zoe & Gerrans, Paul & Walker, Dana L. & Gignac, Gilles E., 2023. "The association between intelligence and financial literacy: A conceptual and meta-analytic review," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    3. Sobkow, Agata & Olszewska, Angelika & Traczyk, Jakub, 2020. "Multiple numeric competencies predict decision outcomes beyond fluid intelligence and cognitive reflection," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    4. Pär Bjälkebring & Ellen Peters, 2021. "Money matters (especially if you are good at math): Numeracy, verbal intelligence, education, and income in satisfaction judgments," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(11), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Shoots-Reinhard, Brittany & Goodwin, Raleigh & Bjälkebring, Pär & Markowitz, David M. & Silverstein, Michael C. & Peters, Ellen, 2021. "Ability-related political polarization in the COVID-19 pandemic," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    6. Jonathan J. Rolison & Kinga Morsanyi & Ellen Peters, 2020. "Understanding Health Risk Comprehension: The Role of Math Anxiety, Subjective Numeracy, and Objective Numeracy," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 40(2), pages 222-234, February.

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