PREFERENCIA POR LA MATEMÁTICA E INTELIGENCIAS MÚLTIPLES EN ESCOLARES PERUANOS

The research objectives were to represent the preference for mathematics and multiple intelligences in Peruvian schoolchildren who are completing primary and secondary education; determine the impact of sex and socio-economic status on the preference for mathematics and multiple intelligences; and establish the differences in multiple intelligences between students who more prefer and less prefer mathematics. In this study, 2309 students from 43 Peruvian educational institutions participated, 1174 students from the sixth grade, and 1035 students from the fifth grade. The results indicated that, in the transition from primary to secondary school, interest in mathematics decreases. Also, intelligence highly represented in sixth grade was kinesthetic and in fifth grade, intrapersonal. On the other hand, sex and socio-economic status generate differences between students who more prefer and less prefer mathematics, as well as in multiple intelligences. Finally, logical-mathematical intelligence is the main differentiating factor between students who more prefer and less prefer mathematics. These findings are discussed using a set of psychosocial factors.