What Is Exam Anxiety? Explained In Hindi
5For many students, college admission tests are accompanied by unpleasant physical and emotional side effects
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The Threat-Response Mechanism
A basic understanding of the anatomy of the brain and the threat-response mechanism is necessary to comprehend test anxiety.
First, from an evolutionary perspective, we know that our brain is comprised of both ancient ‘subcortical’ structures (e.g. the limbic system) and more complex, human ‘cortical’ structures (e.g. the prefrontal cortex). Subcortical structures primarily evolved for the purpose of survival; they allow us to detect threats, activate the body to avoid threats, and stow away memories of threats to prevent future occurrences.
Conversely, cortical structures allow us to do the more complex reasoning and emotional work that are central to humanity as a species. Generally speaking, subcortical structures are more readily activated or ‘favored’ by the brain, because they are responsible for keeping us alive. Favoritism toward subcortical structures, however, becomes problematic when these structures activate at inappropriate times (like when taking the SAT).
In a highly simplified way, this is how our brain and body respond to threats:
Physical, psychological, and emotional threats all trigger the brain in similar ways. In Rick Hanson’s words, threats and suffering ‘cascade through your body’ via the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) of the endocrine (hormonal) system.
The amygdala, a subcortical structure, signals a neural alarm bell that prompts the following processes:
Stimulates the brain stem, which releases norepinephrine throughout the body, shunting blood to important muscle groups
For example, if a student believes that she will perform poorly on an exam, she is far more likely to become anxious before and during a test. Test anxiety can also become a vicious cycle.
Increases the output of stress hormones that inhibit the executive control of cortical structures. In extreme cases, our working memory, which is responsible for retaining sophisticated linguistic and spatial information, is wiped clean to make room for more automatic physical and mental actions.
As you can imagine, the SNS/HPAA system was handy for early man as he fended off dangerous predators. However, in today’s world, blowing up your sympathetic nervous system does more harm than good. A hyperactive SNS will make you hot-headed, irrational, aggressive, and – as we will discuss in a moment – unnecessarily anxious.
What Is Test Anxiety?
On its face, test anxiety is easy to define. It is an overactive, often unconscious threat-response that is triggered by the act of testing. The more complex aspects of test anxiety involve the unique configurations of ‘second darts’ that affect each student.
Second Darts for Test-Takers
Beyond the grueling, four-hour slog that typifies college admission tests (an unavoidable ‘first dart’), students may be stymied by any number of second darts that trigger the SNS/HPAA system. Here are some common second darts that we see in the test prep industry:
A student has a history of poor performances on standardized tests and believes that the SAT/ACT will perpetuate past results. He has immense shame about previous test scores and is self-defeating in his assumptions about the future: “I’ll never be any good at testing.”
A student fears that the college admission test will define his educational and professional trajectory in life, which shades the exam with excessive importance and triggers a flight response.
A student is high-achieving and worries that a sub-stellar performance will dramatically undermine a portfolio of academic successes. At a psychological level, he fears the dissolution of an identity – being the ‘smart kid’ – that is precariously buoyed by grades and test scores.
A student is a part of a minority group and fears that poor performance will confirm negative stereotypes about his identity: gender, race, class, etc. The phenomenon of stereotype threat is well-documented in the field of psychology.
The combination of a rigorous, lengthy, high-stakes exam (first dart) and the added pressure that students place on themselves (second dart) is a recipe for powerful anxiety.
Using the Mind to Eliminate Test Anxiety
After reading about anxiety and the threat-response mechanism, you may feel betrayed by your own mind and body. As I mentioned earlier, we simply do not need the same survival instincts as our mammalian ancestors. Fortunately, our flexible human brains allow us to deliberately curb adverse reactions to suffering – including test anxiety – and enhance our capacities for happiness and peace.
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