Effects of Test Anxiety and Coacting Groups on Learning and Performance

Abstract

This experiment dealt with the relationship between a personality variable and behavior in coacting groups. 96 male Ss differing in test anxiety (high, middle, low) were equally divided at random into 2 groups and given either a paired-associate learning task or 2 performance tasks (vowel cancellation and multiplication problems) under 1 of 2 conditions. Half the Ss worked in coacting groups of 4 members each while the remainder worked on the tasks alone. With the learning task, no significant differences were found between Ss who learned in groups and those who learned alone regardless of anxiety level. With the performance tasks, the group situation was detrimental for both the high- and middle-anxious Ss while facilitative for the low-anxious Ss on the vowel cancellation task; however, no significant effects were found on the multiplication task.