A Science-Backed Look at Test Anxiety
Many of us have experienced that anxious and blank feeling staring at questions on an exam. But for some students who have high-test anxiety, these feelings aren’t just a temporary exam experience; they’re persistent and interfere not only with taking the exam but also with learning the material.
A landmark study by Benjamin, McKeachie, Lin, and Holinger (1981) explored this question using an information processing model that provided a framework that broke down how students study, and how they store and retrieve information. By examining how anxiety disrupts each of these steps, the researchers showed: 1. that high-test anxious students struggle more with essays and short-answer questions than with multiple-choice questions; 2. that last-minute cramming doesn’t work; and 3. that advice to “just relax” rarely helps.
The key takeaway? Test anxiety isn’t just about the anxiety students experience during an exam—it’s about how pre-exam anxiety interferes with effective study preparation that results in successful test taking.
Read the Full Study (PDF)
Key Takeaways
- Anxiety affects learning and recall
Test anxiety disrupts how students study: how they take in and organize information, and later how they recall it during an exam. - Recall tasks are harder than recognition
Students with high test-anxiety perform worse on essays and short-answer questions than on multiple-choice items. - Study time isn’t the issue
Anxious students often study more than their peers, but with less effective methods. - Reducing anxiety alone isn’t enough
Combating test anxiety requires a two-pronged approach—better study strategies plus stress management.
Tips for More Successful Test Taking
- Focus on Understanding, Not Memorizing
To avoid shallow learning, strive to understand the material by summarizing it, explaining it out loud, and finding possible links to other concepts. - Practice Active Recall
Test without notes. Use flashcards, quiz yourself, write out answers to questions you think might be on the exam to strengthen retrieval—the critical area where anxiety hits hard. - Pair Study Skills with Stress Management
Combine the study habits described above with calming routines, like deep breathing, taking walks, or practicing mindfulness. It’s about balance, not burnout.
