Anxiety explains why people with domain-contingent self-worth underperform on ability-diagnostic tests

The present research examined whether test anxiety, evaluation apprehension, or lowered efficacy could explain the link between people’s domain-contingent self-worth and underperformance on ability-diagnostic tests. Results showed that, in an ability-diagnostic condition, the more students based their self-worth on academics the higher their anxiety, the lower their efficacy, and the lower their performance. In a non-diagnostic condition, the students’ academic contingencies of self-worth were unrelated to these outcomes. Moderated mediation analysis, with all three potential mediators, provided evidence that anxiety mediated the link between students’ academic contingencies of self-worth and underperformance within the ability-diagnostic condition. The discussion considered possible ways to reduce the threat experienced by people with domain-contingent self-worth in evaluative settings.

► Students with academically-contingent self-worth underperformed on ability-diagnostic test.
► Academically-contingent self-worth unrelated to performance on nondiagnostic test.
► Anxiety mediates contingent self-worth to underperformance link on ability-diagnostic test.