Cognition, Motivation, Coping and Learning Strategies in High, Mid and Low Test Anxious Undergraduates in a UK University: The Importance of Self-Related Cognitions
type: CreativeWork
description: Despite increasing interest in test anxiety and its effects, few studies have examined UK students, notably not undergraduates. Although, current models of test anxiety are rich and diverse, drawing upon evidence from different cultures and education systems, it is usually from research outside the UK, which that is subsequently generalised to UK students. In addition, many studies report contrasting findings, with little agreement about which of the possible factors are most important. The current programme of research addressed these issues by investigating collectively the major factors already shown to be relevant in relation to a sample of UK undergraduates. Initially, the important cognitive and motivational factors, together with a range of learning strategies were investigated, focussing upon whether test anxiety is more influenced by the cognitive interference caused by worry or by ineffective study skills, the two major perspectives on test anxiety. Results showed conclusively that study skills were irrelevant but there were other significant differences, notably extrinsic motivation, perfectionism and coping. Specifically, high test anxious students showed significantly higher levels of self-doubt and worry about making mistakes despite trying harder to cope with the exams, and using more approach than avoidance coping. They also showed higher aspirations but lower expectations of success than low test anxious students. These results support Cognitive models and Self Worth models of test anxiety, rather than any models involving study skills. Contrary to many studies, a second study showed that test anxiety had no significant effect upon actual exam or coursework results in these students, providing no support for the common conception of test anxiety being responsible for performance deficits, suggesting that it is clearly unwise to generalise so widely from other studies. With the earlier results emphasising self-doubts and yet showing no performance de…
abstract: Despite increasing interest in test anxiety and its effects, few studies have examined UK students, notably not undergraduates. Although, current models of test anxiety are rich and diverse, drawing upon evidence from different cultures and education systems, it is usually from research outside the UK, which that is subsequently generalised to UK students. In addition, many studies report contrasting findings, with little agreement about which of the possible factors are most important. The current programme of research addressed these issues by investigating collectively the major factors already shown to be relevant in relation to a sample of UK undergraduates. Initially, the important cognitive and motivational factors, together with a range of learning strategies were investigated, focussing upon whether test anxiety is more influenced by the cognitive interference caused by worry or by ineffective study skills, the two major perspectives on test anxiety. Results showed conclusively that study skills were irrelevant but there were other significant differences, notably extrinsic motivation, perfectionism and coping. Specifically, high test anxious students showed significantly higher levels of self-doubt and worry about making mistakes despite trying harder to cope with the exams, and using more approach than avoidance coping. They also showed higher aspirations but lower expectations of success than low test anxious students. These results support Cognitive models and Self Worth models of test anxiety, rather than any models involving study skills. Contrary to many studies, a second study showed that test anxiety had no significant effect upon actual exam or coursework results in these students, providing no support for the common conception of test anxiety being responsible for performance deficits, suggesting that it is clearly unwise to generalise so widely from other studies. With the earlier results emphasising self-doubts and yet showing no performance de…
author: Faelling, Joanne
license: https://dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstreams/28253e12-c07e-4e14-8ea8-2ccc9c696886/download
date published: 2010-03
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:18:29Z
provider: De Montfort University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: De Montfort University