Assignment 1

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 Contents page

Cover page 1

Research title 3

Background 3

Research problem 4

Research purpose 4

Relevance / motivation 5

Research question 6

Sub questions 6

Objectives 6

Theoretical framework 7

Conceptualisation 8

Review of previous research 9

Reference list 12

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Research title

Cracking under pressure: the influence of test anxiety on academic performance in university
students.

Background

This assignment will address the influence of test anxiety on academic performance in
university students. Individuals experience an average level anxiety in everyday life which
aids in the accomplishment in many situations, but the problem arises when extreme levels of
anxiety occur. This negatively effects people’s personal, social, occupational and educational
performance, and this is where test anxiety comes into play (Dawood, Ghadeer, Mitsu,
Almutary & Alenezi, 2016). Test anxiety is defined as the psychological and behavioural
responses that one experiences about possible negative outcomes or the failure of an exam or
similar evaluation situations (Duraku, 2017). It is one of the most common anxiety types
among students and it is continuously rising although it has a negative correlation with
academic performance (Duraku & Hoxha, 2018).Research has shown test anxiety to be a bi-
dimensional construct, consisting of cognitive and emotional elements. These elements
contribute to the inability to recall previously studied information resulting in students’
academic performance decreasing (Safeer & Shah, 2019).

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Research problem

Test anxiety is a debilitating factor for students’ academic performance (Duraku &Hoxha,
2018). Students’ academic achievements play a large role in their lives, as it shapes
individuals life chances meaning that there is a high level of stress experienced in order to
perform well (Steinmayr, Crede, McElvany & Wirthwein, 2016). The most important
problem that students are facing around the world is test anxiety, as it is the most prevalent
anxiety type found in students and it is continuously rising (Duraku & Hoxha, 2018). That is
to say, public health officials are experiencing growing concerns about students’ mental
health (Safeer & Shah, 2019). Test anxiety reduces efficient functioning of students’
attentional systems which results in students’ attentional focus decreasing to their
examinations and rather bringing attention to other stimuli, such as distracting aspects
(Steinmayr et al., 2016). It is also a undesired response to academic evaluations making it a
problem of students all over the world (Safeer & Shah, 2019). This type of anxiety tends to
weaken students’ test taking ability and this in turn has negative consequences on students’
lives and personal growth (Dawood et al., 2016). Studies have proven academic success to be
associated with students levels of test anxiety which shows that test anxiety is related to
lower academic performance (Duraku &Hoxha, 2018). With that being said there are gaps in
the literature as many journals speak on ways to overcome test anxiety whereas the issue is
why students are facing test anxiety to begin with. Additionally, the literature on the topic is
lacking qualitative research as test anxiety would differ for every student so one should aim
to understand students behaviours in test conditions.

Research purpose

The purpose of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact on test anxiety
on academic performance among university students, with specific reference to the different
elements of test anxiety.

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Relevance / motivation

This topic is prevalent in today’s society and it is worth investigating as the number of
students experiencing test anxiety is continuously rising (Duraku & Hoxha, 2018). As test
anxiety is an unwanted response to academic situations, it results in students that are
adequality prepared for examinations to have a low performance due to high levels of test
anxiety which is out of their control (Özgan, Karakhiç, Binici, Ustaoglu & Ayhan, 2019).
Extensive research has been conducted on test anxiety, compared to other academic emotions
that students face, but there is no distinct ‘answer’ on how to overcome it completely (Duraku
& Hoxha, 2018). The results of the research on the influence of test anxiety on university
students’ academic performance can be used by university students to gain an understanding
of what test anxiety is and then attain knowledge on ways to minimize their own test anxiety
so that their academics are not affected by it. Additionally, those in the educational field can
use the research to understand how students are negatively affected by test anxiety and create
ways to accommodate those that academics are affected. The research should be carried out
as there is a lack of articles pertaining to South African university students, and as test
anxiety is an issue all over the world, there needs to be extensive research done into different
cultures as this cultural differences may play a role in how test anxiety effects students.

The researcher is studying a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, which links to the
cognitive element of test anxiety where students are concerned about their academic
performance (Özgan et al., 2019). As a university student, the researcher understands the
importance of university results and how it affects the future of individuals. Adding to that,
the researcher is interested in this topic as they have experienced the negative effects of test
anxiety throughout their academic career.

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Research question

How does test anxiety influence the academic performance of university students?

Sub Questions

1. What are the causes of test anxiety for university students?

2. What are the psychological dimensions that influence test anxiety?

Objectives

- To determine the causes of test anxiety for university students.

- To understand the influence that test anxiety has on students academic performance.

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Theoretical framework

A psychological theory was developed by Robert Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodson, an
academic study on the relation of strength and stimulus to rapidity of habit-forming (Yerkes
& Dodson, 1908). This theory aims to explain how arousal relates to individuals levels of
stress and motivation (Teigen, 1994). Yerkes and Dodson formed their theory by performing
experiments on mice, where mild electric shocks were used to teach mice to learn a certain
task, which they names as a ‘habit’, more quickly. The experiment showed that as the shock
level increased, the mice took longer to learn the task and the theorists thought that this could
be due to the fact that the mice were more focused on avoiding the electric shock than
completing the task (Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). Yerkes and Dodson thus hypothesized that as
arousal increases, the ability to perform a task will too increase. This only works up to the
optimal point of arousal because as arousal surpasses this point, one’s level of performance
begins to deteriorate (Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). The law was broadened in the 1930s and
1940s as developments in psychology occurred. It became reinterpreted as a “law about the
relationship between motivation and learning, and sometimes as a law about the relationship
between motivation and performance” (Teigen, 1994: 530). Performance has become the key
concept, rather than learning which was seen in the original work of Yerkes and Dodson.
According to this new ‘law’, increasing the intensity or level of motivation will result in
poorer performance (Teigen, 1994). This lead to the findings that there is an improvement in
performance to a certain point, due to increased motivation, but beyond this point there is
deterioration. The easier a task is, the higher the level of drive for optimal performance
(Teigen, 1994).

The revived Yerkes-Dodson Law and the arousal concept directly links the topic of the
influence of test anxiety on academic performance. An optimal level of anxiety is useful in
everyday life as it sustains people to be hard working and be productive which correlates to
the optimal level of arousal used to perform tasks, stated in the Yerkes-Dodson law (Dawood
et al., 2016). The problem occurs when test anxiety arises during examinations which
debilitates students from performing to their full academic potential (Dawood et al., 2016).
This is proven in the previously explained law as once the optimal level of arousal is
surpassed, one’s performance deteriorates.

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Conceptualisation

Test anxiety: A psychological concern about possible negative outcomes or the failure of an
examination in a test setting (Duraku, 2017). It is an unwanted response that is characterized
by feelings of extreme distress and discomfort (Özgan et al., 2019). In the context of this
study, test anxiety is the main theme in relation to the decline of academic performance.

Generalized anxiety disorder: A type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by persistent

and excessive feelings of worry and anxiety that are difficult to manage, and in turn interferes
with individuals everyday life (Merriam-Webster, 2023). Symptoms includes restlessness,
irritability and difficulty concentrating. In the context of this study, it is used to highlight how
diagnosed anxiety differs to test anxiety.

Academic performance: The measurement of student achievement across different academic

subjects (Hooda & Saini, 2017). In the context of this study, the decline of academic
performance is influenced by test anxiety.

Student: A learner pursuing education in a formal academic setting (Dawood et al., 2016). In
the context of this study, the terms students is used interchangeably with university students
and they are the participants whose academic performance and test anxiety will be explored.

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Review of pervious research

Introduction

The mental health of students is a growing concern of public health officials (Safeer & Shah,
2019). The common phenomenon of anxiety is an undeniable fact that influences individuals
accomplishments in everyday life, such as students experiencing a small amount of anxiety in
academic situations as it acts as a motivator (Dawood et al., 2016). Whilst it is completely
normal for students to feel a sense of anxiety before a test or examination, the problem arises
when the level of anxiety is in excess (Hooda & Saini, 2017). This is when test anxiety,
which is defined as a psychological condition which results in extreme distress, discomfort,
and anxiety in testing situations comes into play (Özagan et al., 2019). This essay will discuss
the influence of test anxiety of university students on their academic performance.

Psychological elements of test anxiety

Test anxiety is a bi-dimensional construct consisting of affective and cognitive components

(Dawood et al., 2016; Duraku, 2017; Duraku & Hoxha, 2018; Özgan et al., 2019; Steinmayr
et al., 2016). The cognitive dimension embodies the cognitive aspect of test anxiety whilst
the affective element, common known as emotionality, focuses on the psychological changes
that occur within the student (Duraku & Hoxha, 2018). The cognitive element is comprised
of feelings of worry and negative thoughts and self-criticism about the negative consequences
or failure that may occur during testing situations (Duraku, 2017). However, emotionality
describes the biological symptoms of anxiety such as a fast heart-beat, sweaty palms and
muscle tension (Hooda & Saini, 2017). The over archiving view of the link between these
two factors is that the cognitive component has a direct influence on the performance of
students in examinations, whereas the affective component is connected but does not directly
persuade students test performance (Dawood et al., 2016). In other words, whilst both of
these components affect students it is the cognitive component that has accounted for the
noteworthy decline of academic achievement of university students (Duraku, 2017).

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Factors influencing test anxiety

Additionally, university students are in a transitionary stage of their lives as they are moving
towards adulthood which carries its own stress and therefore their academic achievements
decline too (Safeer & Shah, 2019). Students are learning to take on new knowledge, roles and
attitudes which undoubtedly leads to periods of stress and dissatisfaction (Dawood et al.,
2016). This consists of new challenges, such as adapting to new habits of life as well as
facing the challenging of success to achieve the highest level of academic performance. For
an example, according to Dawood et al. (2016) nursing students are experiencing higher
levels of test anxiety than other university disciplines because there is a struggle to balance
career adjustments, multiple works and family responsibilities whilst still studying long hours
that are required for success in the industry. Moreover, test anxiety is impacted by the way in
which students perceive their own knowledge and the ability to improve their learning
(Duraku, 2017). As students procrastinate, which is the act of continuously putting off
academic work, it effects the behavioural, psychological and health of students which leads to
not meeting deadlines (Hooda & Saini, 2017). This may lead to students expressing their
frustration over not having enough time to adequality prepare for examinations. Feelings of
anxiety and discomfort are seen in students that have previously failed academic subjects or
when students are not satisfied with their previous academic performance and this may lead
to test anxiety which in turn lowers the academic performance of the student (Özagan et al.,
2019). Studies have also shown that poor relationships with fellow peers and course
instructors are some of the most stressful factors that affect students in tertiary educational
institutions (Duraku 2017).

The influence of test anxiety on academic performance

With that being said, test anxiety negatively influences the academic performance of
university students (Dawood et al., 2016; Duraku & Hoxha, 2018; Hooda & Saini, 2017;
Safeer & Shah, 2019). One must understand the difference between generalized anxiety
disorder, a condition where one experiences feelings of uneasiness and excessive worry about
everyday issues and situations, and test anxiety which only occurs in testing situations to gain
an insight on the influence of test anxiety on students (Duraku & Hoxha, 2017). Test anxiety
impairs the efficient functioning of students’ attentional systems, leading them to focus their
attention of other stimuli such as worrying thoughts or distracting aspects that are irrelevant

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to the academic task (Steinmayr et al., 2016). During examination time, students experience
greater amounts of test anxiety which decreases their academic performance. Test anxiety is
said to effect 10 million American students, who in turn suffered from a lower academic
performance (Özgan et al., 2019). According to Safeer and Shah (2019) research results, test
anxiety negatively affects the academic performance of students showing that when anxiety
surpasses the optimal level, students are forgetting what they have previously learned. This
form of anxiety weakens students’ ability to display knowledge about the content in the
particular course that they are being examined on, which consequently leads to a poor
performance and in turn affects test scores (Dawood et al., 2016). These higher levels of
anxiety are linked to psychological symptoms, being the emotionality element previously
spoken about, such as restlessness, difficult in concentration, and muscle contraction which
negative effect not only the academic growth of students but their general life too (Safeer &
Shah, 2019). Therefore, test anxiety can have adverse effects of students educational and
vocational growth which may potentially limit the progress of said students through the
tertiary educational system (Hooda & Saini, 2017).

Conclusion

Therefore, test anxiety is a psychological condition that results in extreme levels of stress and
discomfort in testing situations (Duraku & Hoxha, 2018). It is comprised of two elements,
being that of affective and cognitive components but the cognitive element accounts for the
negative effect on students’ academic performances (Duraku, 2017). This proves that test
anxiety, which is comprised of many influencing factors being that of the student’s previous
academics, their adaptation to their new roles in life, and cognitive factors, has a negative
influence on university students academic performance.

Total word count = 2497

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Reference list

Dawood, E., Ghadeer, H., Mitsu, R., Almutary, N. and Alenezi, B. 2016. Relationship
between Test Anxiety and Academic Achievement among Undergraduate Nursing Students.
Journal of Education Practice, 7(2): 57-65. [Online]. Available at:
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1089777.pdf [Accessed 2 May 2023].

Duraku, Z. 2017. Factors influencing Test Anxiety Among University Students. The
European Journal of Social & Behavioural Sciences, 18(1): 69-78. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.europeanpublisher.com/en/article/10.15405/ejsbs.206 [Accessed 2 May 2023].

Duraku, Z. and Hoxha, L. 2018. Self-esteem, study skills, self-concept, social support,
psychological distress, and coping mechanism effects on test anxiety and academic
performance. Health Psychology Open, 5(2): 1-7. [Online]. Available at:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2055102918799963 [Accessed 2 May 2023].

Hooda, M. and Saini, A. 2017. Academic Anxiety: An Overview. International Journal of

Education and Applied Social Science, 8(3): 807-810. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327281370_Academic_Anxiety_An_Overview
[Accessed 2 May 2023].

Merriam-Webster. 2023. [Online]. Available at: https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/generalized%20anxiety%20disorder [Accessed 2 May 2023].

Özgan, E., Karakhiç, H., Binici, D., Ustaoglu, A. and Ayhan, M. 2019. The Relationship
between Test Anxiety and Academic Performance. Electronic International Journal of
Education, Arts, and Science, 5(10): 1-12. [Online]. Available at:
http://eijeas.com/index.php/EIJEAS/article/view/135/141 [Accessed 2 May 2023].

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Safeer, U. and Shah, S. 2019. Effect of test anxiety on academic achievement of university
students. Pakistan Journal of Physiology, 15(2): 76-90. [Online]. Available at:
http://www.pjp.pps.org.pk/index.php/PJP/article/view/890 [Accessed 2 May 2023].

Steinmayr, R., Crede, J., McElvaney, N. and Wirthein, L. 2016. Subjective Well-being, Test
Anxiety, Academic Achievement: Testing for Reciprocal Effects. Frontal Psychology, 6(1).
[Online]. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01994/full
[Accessed 2 May 2023].

Teigen, K. 1994. Yerkes-Dodson: A Law for all Seasons. Theory & Psychology, 4(4): 525-
547. [Online]. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0959354394044004
[Accessed 2 May 2023].

Yerkes, M. and Dodson, J. 1908. The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-
formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology. 18(5): 459–482. [Online].
Available at: http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Yerkes/Law/ [Accessed 2 May 2023].

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