Effects of Anxiety on Quantity of Examination Preparation.

Undergraduates who were anticipating a one semester course final were used as subjects in this investigation of the relationship between pretest anxiety and the amount of preparation for the test. In addition, the authors examined the relationship between anxiety and performance and between quantity of preparation and performance. Both trait and state anxiety were measured during data collection. Findings reveal that: (1) anxiety associated with the examination was significantly positively related to out-of-class preparation; (2) quantity of study had a near zero relationship with performance on the examination; and (3) there is a negative relationship between state anxiety during the test preparation period and actual performance on the test. The authors conclude, with qualifications, that examinations geared toward stimulating out-of-class preparation could be omitted. It is suggested that educators reexamine their rationales for testing students. (TL)