Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory
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...
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| Format: | Final Year Project (FYP) |
| Language: | English |
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Nanyang Technological University
2024
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177826 |
| _version_ | 1826129755192164352 |
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| author | Aw, Jin Xuan |
| author2 | Wei Xing Toh |
| author_facet | Wei Xing Toh Aw, Jin Xuan |
| author_sort | Aw, Jin Xuan |
| collection | NTU |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T07:45:43Z |
| format | Final Year Project (FYP) |
| id | ntu-10356/177826 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T07:45:43Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publisher | Nanyang Technological University |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1778262024-06-02T15:32:38Z Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory Aw, Jin Xuan Wei Xing Toh School of Social Sciences weixing.toh@ntu.edu.sg Social Sciences State anxiety Executive functions Mental exhaustion Undergraduate students Cognitive performance 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. Bachelor's degree 2024-05-31T12:04:16Z 2024-05-31T12:04:16Z 2024 Final Year Project (FYP) Aw, J. X. (2024). Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory. Final Year Project (FYP), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177826 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177826 en application/pdf Nanyang Technological University |
| spellingShingle | Social Sciences State anxiety Executive functions Mental exhaustion Undergraduate students Cognitive performance Aw, Jin Xuan Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory |
| title | Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory |
| title_full | Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory |
| title_short | Exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education: a study on the unity/diversity framework in working memory |
| title_sort | exploring the complexities of state anxiety and cognitive performance in higher education a study on the unity diversity framework in working memory |
| topic | Social Sciences State anxiety Executive functions Mental exhaustion Undergraduate students Cognitive performance |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/177826 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT awjinxuan exploringthecomplexitiesofstateanxietyandcognitiveperformanceinhighereducationastudyontheunitydiversityframeworkinworkingmemory |