The amount of Worry and Emotionality components among pupils in Grade 6 with different motivational and cognitive characteristics was examined. A number of interactions indicated that the influence of both cognitive factors, i.e., ability and Future Time Orientation, and motivational factors, i.e., the achievement motives, on amount of Worry and Emotionality increased significantly as the perceived instrumentality (importance) of the school activity increased. Since it is the worry component which normally reduces quality of performance, one way to reduce worries at school for the pupils of low ability, the failure-oriented (highly anxious) pupils, the low future time-oriented pupils, and the girls, is to reduce the importance of the activity.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AtkinsonJ. W.An introduction to motivation. Princeton, NJ: Van Nostrand, 1964.
2.
ChristophersenK.-A.RandP.Factor structure of the achievement motives scale (AMS): Two factors-two samples. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1982, 26, 13–28.
3.
CornishR. D.DilleyJ. S.Comparison of three methods of reducing test anxiety: Systematic desensitization, implosive therapy and study counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1973, 20, 499–503.
4.
CrightonJ.JehnD.Treatment of examination anxiety by systematic desensitization or psychotherapy in groups. Behavior, Research and Therapy, 1969, 7, 245–248.
5.
DawlbyH. H.WenrichW. W.Massed group desensitization of test anxiety. Psychological Reports, 1973, 33, 359–363.
6.
DeffenbacherJ. L.Relationship of worry and emotionality to performance on the Miller Analogies Test. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1977, 69, 191–195.
7.
8RheinbergF.PeterR., Selbstkonzept, Ängstlichkeit und Schulunlust bei verscheidenem Unterricht: Ergebnisse einer zweijährigen Längsschnitt-Studie. (Unpublished paper, Ruhr-Univer., Bochum, 1980).
8.
DeffenbacherJ. L.Worry, emotionality and task-generated interference in test anxiety: An empirical test of attentional theory. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1978, 70, 248–254.
9.
DoctorR. M.AltmanF.Worry and emotionality as components of test anxiety, with replication and further data. Psychological Reports, 1969, 24, 563–568.
10.
DornicS.Mental load, effort, and individual differences. Reports from the Department of Psychology, The University of Stockholm, 1977, No. 509.
11.
EmeryJ. R.KrumboltzJ. O.Standard versus individualized hierarchies in desensitization to reduce test anxiety. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1967, 14, 204–209.
12.
FreelingN. W.ShembergK. M.The alleviation of test anxiety by systematic desensitization. Behavior, Research and Therapy, 1970, 8, 293–299.
13.
GjesmeT.Motive to achieve success and motive to avoid failure in relation to school performance for pupils of different ability levels. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1971, 15, 81–99.
14.
GjesmeT.Sex differences in the relationship between test anxiety and school performance. Psychological Reports, 1972, 30, 907–914.
15.
GjesmeT.Achievement-related motives and school performance for girls. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1973, 26, 131–136. (a).
16.
GjesmeT.Sex differences in the connection between need for achievement and school performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1973, 58, 270–272. (b).
17.
GjesmeT.General satisfaction and boredom at school as a function of the pupil's personality characteristics. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1977, 21, 113–146.
18.
GjesmeT.Future time orientation as a function of achievement motives, ability, delay of gratification, and sex. Journal of Psychology, 1979, 101, 173–188.
19.
GjesmeT.Psychological goal distance: The lost dimension in achievement motivation research. In von CranachM.HackerW.VolpertW. (Eds.), Cognitive and motivational aspects of action. Amsterdam: North Publ., 1982. Pp. 86–98.
20.
GjesmeT.On the concept of future time orientation. Considerations of some functions' and measurements' implications. International Journal of Psychology, in press.
21.
HagtvetK. A.Components of test anxiety measured in and out of explicitly defined situational contexts. Psychological Reports, 1978, 43, 979–984.
22.
HallR. A.HinkleJ. E.Vicarious desensitization of test anxiety. Behavior, Research, and Therapy, 1972, 10, 407–410.
23.
HeckhausenH.Fear of failure as a self-reinforcing motive system. In SarasonI. G.SpielbergerC. (Eds.), Stress and anxiety. Washington, D.C.: Hemisphere, 1975. Pp. 117–128.
24.
HeckhausenH.Task-irrelevant cognitions during an exam: Incidence and effects. In KrohneH. W.LauxL. (Eds.), Achievement, stress, and anxiety. Washington, D.C.: Hemisphere, 1981. Pp. 247–274.
25.
HolroydK. A.Cognition and desensitization in the group treatment of test anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1976, 44, 991–1001.
26.
JohnsonS. M.SechrestL. B.Comparison of desensitization and progressive relaxation in treating test anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1968, 32, 280–286.
27.
LiebertR. A.MorrisL. W.Cognitive and emotional components of test anxiety: A distinction and some initial data. Psychological Reports, 1967, 20, 975–978.
28.
MitchellK. R.NgK. T.Effects of group counseling and behavior therapy on the academic achievement of test anxious students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1972, 19, 491–497.
29.
MorrisL. W.LiebertR. M.Relationships of cognitive and emotional components of test anxiety to physiological arousal and academic performance. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1970, 35, 332–337.
30.
NygårdR.Personality, situation, and persistence, a study with emphasis on achievement motivation. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, 1977.
31.
NygårdR.GjesmeT.Assessment of achievement motives: Comments and suggestions. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1973, 17, 39–46.
32.
OsterhouseR. A.Desensitization and study-skills training as treatment for two types of test anxious students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1972, 19, 301–307.
33.
RandP.Anxiety in connection with school performance. Pedagogisk Forskning, 1960, 4, 178–199.
34.
RandP.Some validation data for the achievement motives scale (AMS). Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1978, 22, 155–171.
35.
RaynorJ. O.Future orientation in the study of achievement motivation. In AtkinsonJ. W.RaynorJ. O. (Eds.), Motivation and achievement. Washington, D.C.: Winston, 1974. Pp. 121–154.
36.
SarasonI. G.Experimental approaches to test anxiety: Attention and the uses of information. In SpielbergerC. D. (Ed.), Anxiety: Current trends in theory and research. Vol. 2. New York: Academic Press, 1972. Pp. 383–403.
37.
SarasonI. G.Test anxiety, attention and general problem of anxiety. In SpielbergerC. D.SarasonI. G. (Eds.), Stress and anxiety. Vol. I. Washington, D.C.: Hemisphere/Wiley, 1975. Pp. 165–187.
38.
SarasonS. B.DavidsonK. S.LighthallF. F.RuebushB. R.Anxiety in elementary school children. New York: Wiley, 1960.
39.
SarasonS. B.DavidsonK.LighthallF. F.WaiteR. R.A test anxiety scale for children. Child Development, 1958, 29, 105–113.
SpieglerM. D.MorrisL. W.LiebertR. M.Cognitive and emotional components of test anxiety: Temporal factors. Psychological Reports, 1968, 22, 451–456.
42.
SpielbergerC. D.The effects of manifested anxiety on the academic achievement of college students. Mental Hygiene, 1962, 42, 420–426.
43.
SpielbergerC. D.The effects of anxiety on complex learning and academic achievement. In SpielbergerC. D. (Ed.), Anxiety and behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1966. Pp. 361–398.
44.
SpielbergerC. D.AntonW. D.BedellJ.The nature and treatment of test anxiety. In ZuckermanM.SpielbergerC. D. (Eds.), Emotions and anxiety. New York: Wiley, 1976. Pp. 317–345.
45.
SpielbergerC. D.KatzenmayerW. C.Manifest anxiety, intelligence, and college grades. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1959, 23, 178.
46.
SuinnR. M.The desensitization of test anxiety for behavior therapy: Normative data. Behavior, Research, and Therapy, 1969, 7, 335–339.
