Understanding Test Anxiety
If you experience test anxiety, you're not alone. In fact, experiencing some amount of test anxiety is actually pretty typical, and some would even argue that having a little anxiety helps motivate us to study beforehand, stay alert during the test, and focus on the task at hand. That being said, high levels of anxiety can interfere with concentration and the ability to perform well on tests.
Everyone's test anxiety experience is unique. Levels of anxiety will differ person to person, just as they'll differ subject to subject and test to test, with all of it somewhat dependent on the value each person places on the test and their belief in their personal ability to do well.
According to Mann & Lash (2004), anxiety is a natural human response and is indicative of our fight-or-flight defense mechanism. If we think about fight-or-flight in relationship to test-taking, the test itself is the threat, and our body's reactions are often our attempts to put distance between us and the threat.
Fight-or-flight in an exam doesn't always (or often) yield the results that will "save" us though, which can be especially challenging in the moments when we may feel like our worth (or our standing/position/ability) is dependent upon the test and how we perform. Yes, tests matter. But please remember that you are so much more than each test and its result.
If you’ve recognized that your test anxiety is more hindrance than effective energy boost or focus aid, that's an awesome step towards learning how you can mitigate your anxiety and perform well on future tests. Here are a few types of anxiety you might experience during a test:
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Physiological anxiety, which may appear as a high heart rate, excessive sweating, tension, or nausea
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Cognitive anxiety, which may appear as difficulty concentrating or focusing on questions, being easily distracted by other things or people in the room, and the feeling of “going blank” during the test and not remembering what you studied
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Emotional anxiety, which can present itself in the form of negative thoughts; feelings of fear, anger, and helplessness; or uncontrollable laughing or crying (Mann & Lash, 2004)
Again, you may experience some of these feelings or actions in amounts that you're able to tolerate. Perhaps they're annoying (like feeling sick, or noticing negative self-talk) but you're still able to engage with the exam and provide the answers you're being asked to demonstrate. You may find, however, that within the above anxiety types you're not able to rein yourself in (laughing/crying uncontrollably, difficulty focusing/concentrating, etc.).
If you're experiencing challenging test anxiety, consider checking out some of these resources:
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Strategies for managing test anxiety that can be used before the test, including substantial test preparation, adequate sleep and nutrition, and pre-test routines that can minimize anxiety.
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Strategies you can implement during the exam itself if you notice anxiety is distracting you and interrupting your concentration.
This page is intended to introduce foundational concepts and strategies related to test anxiety.
If you're an OSU student and would like to get help beyond this page or speak with a mental health professional,
please reach out to Counseling & Psychological Services.