Math is a subject that generally intimidates most people. A recent research study from the New Journal of Physics says that you can now add physicists to the list of people who tend to avoid the more complex forms of math. Research found that studies with advanced math tended to be used less in follow-up studies.
Even physicists avoid complex math due to its time-consuming constraints.
However, it’s not so much lack of ability that has physicists avoiding math like the plague. They tend to shy away from math-related tasks because they don’t want to spend time explaining what the complicated math formulas mean. So while some of it may be fear, most of it is time management issues.
Researchers suggest disconnecting is a problem of communication, not knowledge or skills. Therefore, the solution is language.
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Key takeaways
- New findings suggest that a “fear” or avoidance of math is common even among scientists whose work uses a lot of math, such as physicists.
- Research found that physics papers with more equations were less likely to be cited in new work.
- The problem appears to be with communication, not knowledge, so the researchers suggest that scientists find more approachable ways of communicating the math involved in their work.
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