Personality Types, Test Anxiety and Test Performance: Personality and Gender Comparison
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62997/rl.2024.31023Keywords:
Test Anxiety, Gender Difference, Students Performance, Personality TypeAbstract
This paper examined the causes of test anxiety and how it can impair test performance. It found out the relationship between personality types, and gender with the test anxiety. The research questions were about the causes and facilitating personality traits of test anxiety, how it can impair students’ performance, gender difference, high achievers and low achievers’ differences in experiencing test anxiety, and what techniques can be used to reduce test anxiety. Four system Anxiety Questionnaire and The Personality Type A/B questionnaire with a demographic sheet were used, 300 students 150 males and 150 females from 18 to 30 years of age were conveniently selected in this study. Repeated Measure Research design was used, and three apparent assumptions were made i.e. Type A personality will be more vulnerable to Test Anxiety, there will be a negative relationship between test anxiety and test performance and Females will face more test anxiety before exams as compared to males. Results supported the hypotheses -0.86 r showed a strong negative correlation between anxiety and performance and a significant difference found out by t-test in terms of personality type and gender. For reducing test anxiety healthy family environment, parental education, counseling, positive attitude toward themselves, relaxation techniques, well-managed behavioral patterns and good study habits are very helpful.
References
Adjei, E. (2022). Study Habits and Test Anxiety as Correlates of Senior High School Students’ Academic Achievement in the Ekumfi District (Doctoral dissertation, University of Cape Coast).
Allen, G. J., Elias, M. J., & Zlotlow, S. F. (1980). Behavioral interventions for alleviating test anxiety: A methodological overview of current therapeutic practices. Test anxiety: Theory, research, and applications, 155-185.
American Psychological Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
Anastasi A., Urnina S. (1997). ‘Psychological Testing’ 7th edition. Prentice Hall International Inc.
Auer, C. J. (1992). A comparison of the locus of control of first-and second-grade students in whole language, basal reader, and eclectic instructional approach classrooms (Doctoral dissertation, Northern Illinois University).
Bandura, A. (1995). Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies. Cambridge University Press.
Brown, J. D. (1998). ‘The self’. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Capa, Y., & Loadman, W. E. (2001). Self-Efficacy and Previous Testing Experiences as Predictors of Test Anxiety among College Students. Education Resources Information Center. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Western Educational Research Association (Columbus, Ohio, October 16-19, 2002).
Chin, E. C. H., Williams, M. W., Taylor, J. E., & Harvey, S. T. (2017). The influence of negative affect on test anxiety and academic performance: An examination of the tripartite model of emotions. Learning and Individual Differences, 54, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2017.01.002
Danişman, Ş., Güler, M., & Karadağ, E. (2019). The Effect of Teacher Characteristics on Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study. Croatian Journal of Education/Hrvatski Časopis za Odgoj i Obrazovanje, 21(4). https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v21i4.3322
Deffenbacher, J. L. & Suinn, R. M. (1987). Generalized anxiety syndrome. In. L. Michelson & L.M. Asher (Eds), Anxiety and stress disorder (pp. 332-360). New York Guildford Press
Denny, J. P. (1966). Effects of anxiety and intelligence on concept formation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 72(4), 596–602. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0023786
DordiNejad, F. G., Hakimi, H., Ashouri, M., Dehghani, M., Zeinali, Z., Daghighi, M. S., & Bahrami, N. (2011). On the relationship between test anxiety and academic performance. Procedia, Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 3774–3778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.372
Feldhusen, J. F., & Klausmeier, H. J. (1962). Anxiety, intelligence, and achievement in children of low, average, and high intelligence. Child Development, 403-409. https://doi.org/10.2307/1126453
Hashmat, S., Hashmat, M., Amanullah, F., & Aziz, S. (2008). Factors causing exam anxiety in medical students. Journal-Pakistan Medical Association, 58(4), 167. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18655422/
Jenkins, C. D., Zyzanski, S. J., & Rosenman, R. H. (1971). Progress toward validation of a computer-scored test for the type A coronary-prone behavior pattern. Psychosomatic medicine, 33(3), 193-202.
Lamb, M. E. (1980). The father’s role in the facilitation of infant mental health. Infant Mental Health Journal, 1(3), 140–149. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0355(198023)1:3<140::aid-imhj2280010303>3.0.co;2-4
Lang, P; Levin, D, Miller, G.& Kozak, M. (1993) ‘Fear behavior, fear imagery, and the psychology of emotion’. The problem of affective response integration. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 92, 276-306. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.92.3.276
Lawrence, S. W. (1962). The effects of anxiety, achievement motivation, and task importance upon performance on an intelligence test. Journal of Educational Psychology, 53(3), 150–156. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0045204
Levitt, E.E. (1980). The psychology of anxiety (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1989). Anxiety and second‐language learning: Toward a theoretical clarification. Language learning, 39(2), 251-275. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1989.tb00423.x
Mandler, G., & Sarason, S. B. (1952). A study of anxiety and learning. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 47(2), 166-173. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/h0062855
Núñez-Peña, M. I., Suárez-Pellicioni, M., & Bono, R. (2016). Gender differences in test anxiety and their impact on higher education students’ academic achievement. Procedia, Social and Behavioral Sciences, 228, 154–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.023
Nunn, G. D., Montgomery, J. D., & Nunn, S. J. (1986). Criterion related validity of the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale with the academic achievement. Psychology: A Quarterly Journal of Human Behavior, 23, 9–11.
Oludipe, B. (2009). Influence of test anxiety on performance levels on numerical tasks of secondary school physics students. Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012), 7(4), 19. http://doi.org/10.58809/FNZE8688
Paul, G. L., & Eriksen, C. W. (1964). Effects of test anxiety on" real-life" examinations. Journal of Personality, 32(3).
Peleg-Popko, O. (2002). Children's test anxiety and family interaction patterns. Anxiety, Stress and Coping: An International Journal, 15, 45−59. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800290007281
Peleg-Popko, O., & Dar, R. (2001). Marital quality, family patterns, and children's fears and social anxiety. Contemporary Family Therapy, 23(4), 465−487. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1013057129790
Peleg, O. (2009). Test anxiety, academic achievement, and self-esteem among Arab adolescents with and without learning disabilities. Learning disability quarterly, 32(1), 11-20. https://doi.org/10.2307/25474659
Peters, W. A., Grager-Loidl, H., & Supplee, P. (2000). Underachievement in gifted children and adolescents: Theory and practice. International handbook of giftedness and talent, 2, 609-620. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-008043796-5/50043-7
Reteguiz, J. A. (2006). Relationship between anxiety and standardized patient test performance in the medicine clerkship. Journal of general internal medicine, 21(5), 415-418. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00419.x
Sarason, S. B. (1959). What research says about test anxiety in elementary school children. NEA Journal, 48, 26-27.
Sarason, S. B., Davidson, K., Lighthall, F., & Waite, R. (1958). Classroom observations of high and low anxious children. Child Development, 287-295. https://doi.org/10.2307/1125988
Spielberger, C. D. (2010). Test anxiety inventory. The Corsini encyclopedia of psychology, 1-1.
Studenski, S., Carlson, M. C., Fillit, H., Greenough, W. T., Kramer, A., & Rebok, G. W. (2006). From bedside to bench: does mental and physical activity promote cognitive vitality in late life? Science of Aging Knowledge Environment, 2006(10), pe21-pe21.
Tanksley, M. D. (1994). ‘Building good self-esteem for certain fifth grade children through cooperative learning, individualized learning techniques, parental involvement, and student counseling’. (ED 367 095).
Tesiny, E. P., Lefkowitz, M. M., & Gordon, N. H. (1980). Childhood depression, locus of control, and school achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 72(4), 506–510. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.72.4.506
Tobias, S. (1985). Test anxiety: Interference, defective skills, and cognitive capacity. Educational Psychologist, 20(3), 135–142. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2003_3
van IJzendoorn, M. H. (1996). A secure attachment, a positive self? Representations of attachment relationships and of the self and social–emotional competence in preschoolers. Child and Adolescent, 17, 182-184.
Verschueren, K., Marcoen, A., & Schoefs, V. (1996). The internal working model of the self, attachment, and competence in five‐year‐olds. Child development, 67(5), 2493-2511. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1996.tb01870.x
Vogel, H. L., & Collins, A. L. (2006). The relationship between test anxiety and academic performance. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67, 523-532.