THE EFFECTS OF ANXIETY ON CONNOTATIVE MEANING

Abstract

A form of the semantic differential was administered to 8 groups of fifthgrade children who digered in their test-anxiety status, sex, and in the condition under which they were administered the semantic differential. The results of factor analyses carried out separately on each of the 8 groups' ratings revealed a good deal of similarity among their structures of meaning. Factors of evaluation and control were consistently found. Analyses of variance carried out on factor scores based on these two factors revealed differences between high- and low-anxious children. The high-anxious children rated concepts more negatively and as being less controlled than did the low-anxious children. These findings were related to previous reports of differences in verbal behavior between high- and low-anxious children. It has been shown in previous studies (Barnard, 1961; Zimbardo, Barnard, & Berkowitz, 1963) that certain consistent differences in the verbal behavior of children are related to their test-anxiety status. One of these differences was the number of affect-laden words used in responding to a series of open-ended interview questions. High-test-anxious (HA) children tended to use more of these affect-laden words than did low-test-anxious (LA) children, particularly in an anxiety-arousing situation (e.g., an evaluation situation). Two possible explanations can be advanced to account for these findings, both of which are consistent with the theoretical notions about the early development of test anxiety (Sarason, Davidson, Lighthall, Waite, & Ruebush, 1960). This paper is based on a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Ph.D. at Yale University. The author wishes to express his deepest gratitude to Seymour B. Sarason for his support and encouragement in the carrying out of the present study, both in his role as major advisor and as a friend. The author also wishes to acknowledge the very valuable assistance provided by Edward F. Zigler. Author's address: Department of Psychology, George Peabody College, Nashville, Tenn. 37203.