Perceived Test Stakes, Test Anxiety, and Reading Comprehension in High School Seniors

Abstract

Test anxiety is an issue many students experience. While educators are usually aware of the existence of test anxiety, they may be less aware of its effects on cognitive functioning. Research supports the view that test anxiety can negatively affect both working memory and information processing. Numerous previous studies have investigated test anxiety under laboratory conditions; however, very limited research examines its effect on performance in actual classroom environments. This study collected empirical data to measure the effect of test anxiety on high school seniors' academic achievement in an educational context representative of what students encounter during the academic year. The sample consisted of 49 high school seniors, all aged 18 or older, who completed two separate 15-minute assessments: one low-stakes and one high-stakes. Both assessments contained reading comprehension items similar to those found on the SAT. All participants completed both assessments, so the study used a within-subjects design. Participants also rated their anxiety immediately before each assessment on a scale from 1 to 10. The perceived stakes were altered through standardized verbal communication to manipulate the level of importance and stress associated with the assessments. To ensure that no other variables affected the results, all other aspects of the assessments, including format, length, and difficulty, were kept consistent. Mean reported anxiety increased from 3.10 in the low-stakes condition to 4.02 in the high-stakes condition; conversely, mean reading comprehension decreased from 7.35 to 6.78. Since the same group completed both assessments, paired-samples t-tests were used to determine whether statistically significant differences existed across conditions. Results demonstrated that higher test apprehension was accompanied by lower reading comprehension, providing evidence that how tests are presented may directly or indirectly affect students' ability to perform well. These findings have important implications for designing assessments that promote better academic performance and for supporting students who may need additional assistance. This study investigates how psychological variables relate to academic performance in a setting that simulates authentic classroom conditions.