Test Anxiety, Sex, and Exam Type

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships (a) among worry, emotionality, and a more global measure of state anxiety before three types of examinations (objective, physical performance, and subjective) given in three academic disciplines and (b) among the three anxiety measures and expected and actual outcomes for 146 men and 217 women (age: M = 23.72, SD = 3.33). Across all types of examinations women scored higher on emotionality and general state anxiety than men. Women tended to underestimate and men to overestimate their performance. Both sexes were more emotional before pencil-and-paper examinations than physical performance examinations, but they worried more before the performance examination. Correlations indicated clearer and more consistent relationships for women between expectations, performance, relative success, and the outcomes measures. For men, more complex relationships with both somative and cognitive anxiety across types of examination were found. It is suggested that test anxiety and performance on examinations be studied in relation to both differences in gender and type of examination.