Selection Test Anxiety : Exploring Tension and Fear of Failure Across the Sexes in Simulated Selection Scenarios

Standardized tests are commonly used to select individuals in both pre-employment and educational settings. Nevertheless, research has yet to sufficiently explore the relationship between test anxiety (TA) and test performance in selection contexts. The goal of this study was to assess the dimensionality of TA, the relations between TA and test performance, and the impact of gender on TA within the realm of personnel selection. Test anxiety was found to be bi-dimensional and negatively related to performance on a cognitively based selection instrument. Gender moderated the relation between TA and test performance, with stronger associations for males. This finding is consistent with the sex-linked anxiety coping theory that is advanced here. Implications of this study and avenues for future research are discussed