Teachers with poor neuroliteracy fail to distinguish scientific evidence from neuromyths (NM), which might lead to the implementation of pseudoscientific educational methods. The prevalence of NM and general knowledge about the brain (GKAB) among in-service and pre-service teachers has been assessed in multiple countries, but no such study has been performed in Hungary. The aims of this study were to (1) assess the neuroliteracy of pre-service teachers, (2) compare the results with those of previous studies and (3) analyze the factors influencing neuroliteracy. Our sample included 822 pre-service teachers from 12 Hungarian universities. We developed a survey including 10 NM and 13 GKAB statements, adapted from a widely used questionnaire. The average rate of incorrect answers to NM was 56.9%, whereas the average rate of correct answers to GKAB was 70.9%. Male gender and frequency of using Facebook as the primary information source about neuroscience were the only predictors of NM acceptance. In comparison with other studies, the Hungarian pre-service teachers had the second highest endorsement of NM. The most prevalent NM were linked to motor functions, which might be related to the widespread use and promotion of motor therapies in Hungary.

Introduction: Math anxiety (MA) is an academic anxiety about learning, doing, and evaluating mathematics, usually studied in school populations and adults. However, MA likely has its origins before children go to school. For example, studies have shown that general anxiety (GA) for everyday events is less separable from MA in primary than in early secondary school. This suggests that GA may be a precursor of MA. For this reason, here, we have examined whether GA is already associated with math achievement at the end of kindergarten.Methods: We tested 488 Hungarian kindergarten children aged 5.7 to 6.9 years (55% girls) and analyzed the effect of GA, sex, and family SES on math achievement in kindergarten children.Results: Strikingly, confirming results from primary school children, we found that GA negatively correlated with math achievement already in this preschool population. Higher GA levels had a stronger negative effect on girls’ than boys’ math achievement. However, there were no significant sex differences in math achievement in kindergarten. Additionally, family socioeconomic status was the strongest predictor of math achievement.Discussion: We speculate that high GA in preschool is a plausible early precursor of later high MA. Early interventions could aim to control GA levels before children start formal schooling.

Our mathematical thinking sheds light on how we see our world and what knowledge we have about it. In spite of this, mathematical performance is still mostly measured in calculation skills, and this also predestines the success of learning. So at school, what is important is how correctly we solved the task and not the way we got there. An internationally unique Hungarian-developed test (DPV—Pedagogical Examination of Dyscalculia/Diszkalkulia Pedagógiai Vizsgálata) draws our attention to the opposite of this. The special feature of the test is its criterion orientation, which emphasizes the correctness of mathematical thinking while examining the abilities necessary for learning mathematics. The aim of our study was to investigate, as a function of background variables (gender and socioeconomic status (SES)), (1) whether the abilities and thought processes required for learning mathematics function at an adequate level, (2) what effect these may have on mathematical performance, and (3) to what extent all of this is influenced by mathematical anxiety. Our background variables were gender and socioeconomic status. A total of 999 Hungarian students aged 10–15 participated in our study, including 483 boys and 516 girls. In general, we can say that the development of the skills necessary for learning mathematics is closely related to the students’ performance. Nevertheless, it happens that we encounter low performance despite good skills. In several cases, we can experience the presence of anxiety, especially math anxiety, which in most cases, regardless of the level of abilities, negatively affects the success of math learning processes. The findings confirm that socioeconomic status, gender, and performance are risk factors for mathematical anxiety. The following hypotheses have been formulated along the lines of the research objectives set out in the There are no differences in ability and mathematical performance between boys and girls. Girls are more anxious when they have to solve a mathematical problem. Socioeconomic status predicts ability level and the presence of math anxiety. Mathematical anxiety (MA) modifies the validity of mathematical ability (DPV).

Children’s cognitive ability is the basis of all subject knowledge. It can qualitatively and quantitatively determine the content of the acquired curriculum, and its variation can significantly modify executive functions. There are a number of reasons for underachievement, including problems with genetic origin, parental expectations, the identity of the teacher, the class community, inadequate teaching methods, etc. These factors can trigger anxiety in students and not everyone may have the right coping strategies. The aim of our research is to establish a cognitive ability profile that focuses on the cognitive factors underlying mathematical abilities and the affective factors that influence them. Our research included at 10–15-year-old students in 8 Hungarian primary schools and explored the extent to which symptoms of anxiety affect mathematical performance. Our measuring instruments were the Pedagogical Examination of Dyscalculia and the Math Anxiety Test. The results were examined in the context of mathematical performance. Our research is also relevant in pedagogical practice, because it advances understanding of the cognitive and other psychological processes underpinning children’s performance, and thus can help them to achieve the best performance to their abilities more effectively. In this way, we can provide them with mathematical and self-knowledge that is useful in everyday life.

A neuromítoszok, vagyis téves idegtudományi elképzelések a mozgásfejlesztés és a motoros terápiák területén is problémát jelentenek. A megcáfolt fejlődéselméleteken vagy idegrendszeri működési mechanizmusok félreértelmezésén alapuló mozgásfejlesztési módszerek a gyermek különböző, nem motoros funkcióterületeinek (pl. kognitív funkciók, tanulási teljesítmény) javulását vetítik előre tudományos megalapozottság nélkül. Tanulmányunk célja a mozgással kapcsolatos neuromítoszok előfordulási gyakoriságának elemzése. Kérdőíves vizsgálatunkat a Magyar Neuroedukáció Kérdőívvel (MANEK, 2022) végeztük, mely 13 mozgással kapcsolatos állítást is magába foglalt. Vizsgálati mintánkat pedagógia szakos hallgatók (n=822 fő, életkoruk 29,65 ± 9,93 év), továbbá végzett pedagógusok (n=734 fő, életkoruk 48,05 ± 9,3 év) adták. A 13 állítás közül a hallgatók átlagosan 8 (Median=8, CI= 7,6-7,97), míg a végzett szakemberek átlagosan 10 (Median=10, CI= 9,34-9,66) valóságtartalmát ítélték meg helytelenül. A 13-ból 12 állítás esetén a gyakorló pedagógusok hibás válaszadási aránya volt magasabb. Mindkét almintában a következő neuromítosz volt a legelterjedtebb (helytelenül válaszolt a hallgatók 89,7%-a és végzett pedagógusok 95,8%-a): „A motoros és érzékelő/észlelő funkciók koordinációját igénylő gyakorlatok fejlesztik az olvasási és számolási készségeket”. A vizsgált neuromítoszok széleskörű elterjedtsége felhívja a figyelmet a tudományosan megalapozott ismeretek kommunikációjának szükségességére. E neuromítoszok olyan (mozgás)terápiás eljárások alkalmazását támogatják, melyek hatásossága erősen vitatott, jelentős anyagi és energiaráfordítást igényelnek, továbbá időt vesznek el a bizonyítottan fejlesztő eljárások alkalmazásától.