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The dynamic experience of taking an examination : Ever changing cortisol and expectancy for success
Graham, Matthew C. Husman, Jenefer Pekrun, Reinhard Villanueva, Idalis Christensen, Darcie
Graham, Matthew C.
Husman, Jenefer
Pekrun, Reinhard
Villanueva, Idalis
Christensen, Darcie
Abstract
Background
This study examined the relations between students' expectancies for success and a physiological component of test anxiety, salivary cortisol, during an authentic testing setting.
Aims
The aim of the study was to better understand the connection between shifts in students' control appraisals and changes in the physiological component of test anxiety.
Sample
The study comprised 45 undergraduate engineering majors in the United States.
Methods
Survey data concerning students' expectancy for success and saliva samples were taken before, during and after the practice midterm examination prior to their actual in-class examination.
Results
Students' expectancy for success declined during the examination while cortisol levels declined from the beginning to middle of the examination and began to increase again as a function of time. Although students' initial levels of expectancy for success and cortisol were not correlated, there was a negative relation between change in cortisol and change in expectancy for success.
Conclusions
Our study demonstrates a relation between salivary cortisol, a physiological component of test anxiety and students' expectancy for success in an authentic testing context. Most students saw a decrease in cortisol during the examination, suggesting anticipatory anxiety prior to the test and a return to homeostasis as the examination progressed. Some students, however, did not see a declination in cortisol, suggesting they may not have recovered from pre-examination anxiety. The negative relation between change in cortisol and expectancy for success suggests that students who had the greatest decrease in expectancy for success saw the smallest recovery in cortisol.
Keywords
control-value theory, cortisol, examination stress
Date
2023
Type
Journal article
Journal
British Journal of Educational Psychology
Book
Volume
93
Issue
Suppl. 1
Page Range
195-210
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as green open access
License
File Access
Open
Controlled
Controlled
Notes
© 2022 The British Psychological Society.