Psychological Disorders 581So what can you do if you experience test anxiety and want to get your worrying
under control? First, determine why you want to do well on the test in the first place. Do
you really want to demonstrate your understanding of the material, or are you hoping just
to pass? Try to find an internal motivation to do well on the exam rather than simply relying
on extrinsic reasons. Even if you are taking a test in a subject you don’t necessarily enjoy,
try to identify something you want to accomplish, and get your focus off the goal of simply
earning a passing grade.
Second, develop some type of strategy for controlling both your cognitive state
and behavior before and during the exam. Review the study tips we presented in the
Psychology in Action section of this book. to Learning Objective PIA.5. As
mentioned there, if you are well prepared, you are less likely to worry. Avoid cramming
and take advantage of the additive effects of distributed practice. Refer to that informa-
tion and review suggestions that will help you manage your tasks and your time. Sched-
ule regular study sessions and avoid or limit distractions (email, phone, text messages,
television, noisy roommates, and the like may seem to provide welcome escapes from
studying, but they will only keep you from your intended goal). You’ve read the chapter
on memory (or at least you should have!) and now know that spacing out your study and
using meaningful, elaborative rehearsal over multiple study periods is going to yield much
better results than an all-out cramming marathon the night before an exam. to
Learning Objectives 6.5, 6.10 and 6.11.
The way you approach an exam can have a significant impact on the testing expe-
rience and how you manage yourself during that exam (Davis et al., 2008). Instead of
focusing on how nervous you are and how sure you are that you aren’t going to be able to
remember anything, turn that thinking around and recognize how much energy you have
going into the exam (Dundas et al., 2009). Positive self-talk can be very valuable in this kind
of situation (and is a good example of cognitive therapy at work). A recent study demon-
strated that competence-priming (imagining a person who is successful at a related task)
lowered the relationship between test anxiety and test performance (Lang & Lang, 2010).
Additionally, instead of focusing on the whole exam, take control and address one ques-
tion at a time, first answering the questions you know—that will build your confidence and
help you progress through the test. Also control your body; try to stay relaxed and breathe
normally. If you get distracted, consciously redirect yourself back to the next question.
Before you know it, you will have completed the entire exam—whew!
Questions for Further Discussion- Have you ever experienced test anxiety? What methods did you use to get your
worrying under control? - What factors, other than the ones listed here, might influence the anxiety one feels
when taking an exam?