Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory

• Main Author: Aw, Jin Xuan
• Other Authors: Wei Xing Toh
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Social Sciences; State anxiety; Executive functions; Mental exhaustion; Undergraduate students; Cognitive performance
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177826
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Anxiety among undergraduate students represents a significant concern, potentially impairing cognitive functions essential for academic success. This study investigates the relationship between state anxiety and three core executive functions—updating, inhibition, and shifting—using a sample of 235 undergraduates from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. Employing a correlational, experience sampling method, participants' state anxiety was assessed based on completion of the STAI Y-6 and the respective tasks measuring each executive function over seven days. Findings revealed that state anxiety did not significantly predict performance on the updating (Two Back task), inhibition (Go/No-Go task), or shifting (Magnitude Parity task) executive functions. However, a significant predictive relationship was observed between state anxiety and self-reported mental exhaustion, suggesting a nuanced interplay between anxiety and cognitive processes. Despite these non-significant findings, the study contributes to the understanding of the impact of anxiety on cognitive functioning, highlighting the importance of considering task-specific characteristics and individual differences in future research.