Test anxiety and evaluation threat: children's behavior in the classroom.
Children differing in test anxiety level were observed in two art classes, one immediately preceding a classroom examination, the other when no examination was expected. The observational analyses indicated the following: (a) When an examination was expected there were general increases both in children's task orientation and in their concern with other's evaluations, and a decrease in general activity level. It was suggested that future research examine the effects of additional situational variables on children's classroom behaviors. (b) Highly test-anxious children were generally hardworking and inactive. They reacted to examination expectancy with a decrease in task orientation, reduction in communications, and attentional constriction. Less anxious children reacted to examination expectancy by working harder, eliminating task-irrelevant behaviors, and seeking feedback. These results were interpreted as supporting a cognitive theory of test anxiety.
D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior