Why do we suffer stress during exams?

Nerves have played a trick on more than one of us.

It has happened to everyone: failing relatively simple exam questionsWe don't really know why.

Knowledge that we thought we had well learned rebels against us at the most inopportune moment, questions appear that seem to have been transformed since the last time we wrote down the answer and, in general, we are left with the feeling that at the time of handing in the sheet with the answers we are less intelligent than a few hours before. All this seems to be the product of magic, a kind of invisible force that tries to lead us to failure. This invisible force is called stress.

Several studies indicate that high levels of stress at times of high levels of stress at the time of performing cognitively demanding tasks cause us to fail more than necessary, counteracting the positive effect that previous practice and study has on our performance. This means that the appearance of stress "peaks" at decisive moments is detrimental to us at the most decisive moments, which is worrying if we take into account that it is very common to suffer from nerves and anxiety when taking tests.

What role does stress play?

Stress is a cascade reaction of our hormones and nervous system that can be useful in some contexts. can be useful in some contexts. Its appearance puts us in a state of alertness and enhances Muscle tension, accelerates the pulse and causes a hormonal chain reaction from the release of cortisol and adrenaline.

All this is very useful at times when we need to give a quick physical response, such as fleeing or fighting, capabilities that have probably been very important in our lineage for hundreds of thousands of years. However, stress is not so useful when the problems to be solved are more related to intelligence, intellectual performance. In fact, it can be counterproductive if it occurs at too high a level.

How does stress appear in exams?

It is believed that in the appearance of stress during exams and other tests act two processes.

On the one hand, as the time approaches when the test will take place, behavioral patterns that enhance the onset of stress may be initiated, such as procrastination, long studies at the last minute or even repetitive patterns such as nail biting, pulling out strands of hair, etc.

On the other hand, at the time of the test, the stress can be stress can be exacerbated by a fish that bites its own tailThe thought of failure produces more discomfort and alertness, which focuses attention on the anticipation of a negative result and not on the actual task to be performed.

To this must be added another aspect: the impact of getting one or the other result in an exam.. In many universities it is common to take fewer and fewer exams, making it very important to get a good grade in them. One might think that the presence of a greater incentive (having a guaranteed final grade with a single exam) or a more severe punishment (failing an exam is a hard blow and will be reflected in the overall grades) could serve to motivate students more and therefore improve their performance, but the opposite effect could be achieved.

Some research in this regard

There are multiple experiments in which it has been seen how a very high reward can induce such high stress that the performance of volunteers plummets. stress so high that the performance of the volunteers plummets.. In one in particular, a series of volunteers were asked to solve a circuit of different tasks related to marksmanship and intelligence. Different volunteers had the chance to win a higher or lower reward. The results showed that those who opted for a higher reward obtained poorer results.

It is likely that these participants were distracted both by the possibility of not winning the reward and by the idea of feeding their own stress. As happens to us during major tests, the need to pay attention both to the task and to our own state and the possible outcome of doing well or poorly produces a cognitive overload from which it is difficult to escape.

In general, this seems to occur not only with high rewards, but also under the threat of loss or punishment. Tests show these two sides of the incentive system by having both positive and negative consequences, and they also have the peculiarity of having nothing to do with situations in which explosive force or flight becomes the only viable solution. The key to all this is finding a way to reach the optimal stress levelThe key to all of this is to find a way to reach the optimal stress level: enough to be attentive to what is being asked of us without the hormonal chain reaction getting out of hand.

Tips for managing stress and nerves during exam time

You can learn how to manage your nerves by reading this article:

• 5 tricks to avoid nerves before an exam.

Good luck in your exams and we wish you that, after reading these articles, you can learn to manage those nerves and anxiety that did not allow you to perform at your best. From now on, go for the honors!

Bibliographical references:

• Ariely, D., Gneezy, U., Lowenstein, G. and Mazar, N. (2009). Large stakes and big mistakes. The Review of Economic Studies, 76(2), pp. 451 - 469.