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Challenge and Threat Appraisal of Tests in High School: Integrating Educational Psychology and Biopsychology Improves Understanding of How Students Take Tests

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Title: Challenge and Threat Appraisal of Tests in High School: Integrating Educational Psychology and Biopsychology Improves Understanding of How Students Take Tests
Language: English
Authors: Roger Kennett (ORCID 0000-0002-7315-6669), Andrew J. Martin (ORCID 0000-0001-5504-392X), Joel Pearson, Emma C. Burns, Rebecca J. Collie
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. 2026 118(2):259-274.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: High School Students, Science Tests, Test Wiseness, Self Efficacy, Anxiety, Attention, Short Term Memory, Foreign Countries, Student Attitudes
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000964
ISSN: 0022-0663
1939-2176
Abstract: A student's appraisal of tests, and associated psychological challenge and threat states, impacts their performance and experience on these tests. The present investigation of 244 high school students sought to identify salient challenge and threat orientations to science tests that may provide insights into how to optimize students' outcomes in, and experience of, science. It did so by augmenting "traditional" educational psychology challenge and threat measures with relatively novel biopsychological measures. Latent profile analysis was conducted using five indicators: psychoeducational indicators of challenge and threat (via self-reports of self-efficacy and anxiety, respectively), neuropsychological indicators of internal attention (via electroencephalogram-alpha), and working memory activity (via electroencephalogram-theta), and a physiopsychological indicator of sympathetic arousal (via electrodermal activity). Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles representing distinct groups of high school students' psychological orientations to test-taking: confident striders, confident battlers, ambivalents, and fearers. Each of these profiles had distinct associations with students' test achievement and enjoyment and revealed that the inclusion of biopsychological measures augmented what would have been unearthed by self-reported educational psychology measures alone. Findings provide important insights into the extent to which the inclusion of biopsychology indicators, alongside educational psychology indicators, adds to our understanding of students' challenge--threat orientations when they are faced with task demands such as tests.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1507474
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Challenge and Threat Appraisal of Tests in High School: Integrating Educational Psychology and Biopsychology Improves Understanding of How Students Take Tests
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Roger+Kennett%22">Roger Kennett</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7315-6669">0000-0002-7315-6669</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrew+J%2E+Martin%22">Andrew J. Martin</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5504-392X">0000-0001-5504-392X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joel+Pearson%22">Joel Pearson</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emma+C%2E+Burns%22">Emma C. Burns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rebecca+J%2E+Collie%22">Rebecca J. Collie</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 118(2):259-274.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Tests%22">Science Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Wiseness%22">Test Wiseness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention%22">Attention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Short+Term+Memory%22">Short Term Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink>
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  Data: A student's appraisal of tests, and associated psychological challenge and threat states, impacts their performance and experience on these tests. The present investigation of 244 high school students sought to identify salient challenge and threat orientations to science tests that may provide insights into how to optimize students' outcomes in, and experience of, science. It did so by augmenting "traditional" educational psychology challenge and threat measures with relatively novel biopsychological measures. Latent profile analysis was conducted using five indicators: psychoeducational indicators of challenge and threat (via self-reports of self-efficacy and anxiety, respectively), neuropsychological indicators of internal attention (via electroencephalogram-alpha), and working memory activity (via electroencephalogram-theta), and a physiopsychological indicator of sympathetic arousal (via electrodermal activity). Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles representing distinct groups of high school students' psychological orientations to test-taking: confident striders, confident battlers, ambivalents, and fearers. Each of these profiles had distinct associations with students' test achievement and enjoyment and revealed that the inclusion of biopsychological measures augmented what would have been unearthed by self-reported educational psychology measures alone. Findings provide important insights into the extent to which the inclusion of biopsychology indicators, alongside educational psychology indicators, adds to our understanding of students' challenge--threat orientations when they are faced with task demands such as tests.
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 16
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      – SubjectFull: High School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Science Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Test Wiseness
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      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
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      – SubjectFull: Australia
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