skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


Title: The dynamic experience of taking an examination: Ever changing cortisol and expectancy for success
Abstract BackgroundThis study examined the relations between students' expectancies for success and a physiological component of test anxiety, salivary cortisol, during an authentic testing setting. AimsThe aim of the study was to better understand the connection between shifts in students' control appraisals and changes in the physiological component of test anxiety. SampleThe study comprised 45 undergraduate engineering majors in the United States. MethodsSurvey data concerning students' expectancy for success and saliva samples were taken before, during and after the practice midterm examination prior to their actual in‐class examination. ResultsStudents' expectancy for success declined during the examination while cortisol levels declined from the beginning to middle of the examination and began to increase again as a function of time. Although students' initial levels of expectancy for success and cortisol were not correlated, there was a negative relation between change in cortisol and change in expectancy for success. ConclusionsOur study demonstrates a relation between salivary cortisol, a physiological component of test anxiety and students' expectancy for success in an authentic testing context. Most students saw a decrease in cortisol during the examination, suggesting anticipatory anxiety prior to the test and a return to homeostasis as the examination progressed. Some students, however, did not see a declination in cortisol, suggesting they may not have recovered from pre‐examination anxiety. The negative relation between change in cortisol and expectancy for success suggests that students who had the greatest decrease in expectancy for success saw the smallest recovery in cortisol.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2120451 1661100
PAR ID:
10480672
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
British Journal of Educational Psychology
Date Published:
Journal Name:
British Journal of Educational Psychology
Volume:
93
Issue:
S1
ISSN:
0007-0998
Page Range / eLocation ID:
195 to 210
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ; ; (, American Journal of Human Biology)
    ABSTRACT ObjectivesThe impacts of stress on inflammation, although hypothesized, have not been thoroughly examined, especially in relation to social and environmental factors and particularly within Black populations. This study aims to explore the biological mechanisms of embodiment linking stress and health to understand physiological changes in the body's response to psychological stress in a Nigerian population. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this study queries the relationship between stress, cortisol, and salivary C‐reactive protein (sCRP), a biomarker of inflammation, while also validating the use of sCRP as a potential and accurate stress indicator in the field. MethodsIn this cross‐sectional study, 138 passive drool saliva samples (nfemale = 89nmale = 49) were collected and assessed for sCRP and cortisol levels in adults. Participants also completed a short demographic survey and, to measure psychological stress, the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ‐12). Relationships between sCRP and stress‐related variables (i.e., cortisol, GHQ‐12, and demographic data) were assessed using Spearman's correlations, simple regression, multivariable linear regression, and exploratory factor analysis. ResultssCRP levels ranged from 20.57 to 6879.41 pg/mL across all samples, with significant differences between female and male participants. The GHQ‐12 was not a significant predictor of sCRP variability. However, socio‐demographic factors such as body mass index (BMI), age, self‐reported sex, ethnic identity, and cortisol were significant predictors, collectively explaining 24%–27% of the variation in sCRP. ConclusionSocio‐demographic predictors like BMI, age, sex, and particularly ethnic group experience in Nigeria encapsulate aspects of embodied stress, that significantly affect sCRP variability. 
    more » « less
  2. ; ; ; (, American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
    Abstract ObjectivesWe quantified variation in fecal cortisol across reproductive periods in Azara's owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) to examine physiological mechanisms that may facilitate biparental care. Specifically, we evaluated evidence for the explanation that owl monkeys have hormonal mechanisms to mobilize energy during periods when each sex is investing heavily in reproduction, that is, the gestation period for females and the infant care period for males. Materials and methodsBetween 2011 and 2015, we monitored 10 groups of Azara's owl monkeys from a wild population in Formosa, Argentina and collected fecal samples from 26 adults (13 males, 13 females). Using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays, we quantified fecal cortisol as a proxy for evaluating stress responses, including energetic demands, on both sexes during periods of reproduction and parental care. ResultsMale cortisol was lowest during periods when they were caring for young infants (<3 months) compared with periods with older infants or no infant. Female cortisol was elevated during gestation compared with other periods. Mean fecal cortisol in both males and females was lower when an infant was present compared with when females were gestating. DiscussionOur results do not support the hypothesis that owl monkey males have elevated fecal cortisol during periods when they need to mobilize energy to provide intensive infant care. Our findings are also inconsistent with the Maternal Relief hypothesis. However, results from studies measuring fecal cortisol must be interpreted with care and alternative explanations, such as seasonal fluctuations in diet and thermoenergic demands, should be considered when drawing conclusions. 
    more » « less
  3. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; et al (, Science Advances)
    Wearable technologies for personalized monitoring require sensors that track biomarkers often present at low levels. Cortisol—a key stress biomarker—is present in sweat at low nanomolar concentrations. Previous wearable sensing systems are limited to analytes in the micromolar-millimolar ranges. To overcome this and other limitations, we developed a flexible field-effect transistor (FET) biosensor array that exploits a previously unreported cortisol aptamer coupled to nanometer-thin-film In 2 O 3 FETs. Cortisol levels were determined via molecular recognition by aptamers where binding was transduced to electrical signals on FETs. The physiological relevance of cortisol as a stress biomarker was demonstrated by tracking salivary cortisol levels in participants in a Trier Social Stress Test and establishing correlations between cortisol in diurnal saliva and sweat samples. These correlations motivated the development and on-body validation of an aptamer-FET array–based smartwatch equipped with a custom, multichannel, self-referencing, and autonomous source measurement unit enabling seamless, real-time cortisol sweat sensing. 
    more » « less
  4. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; (, Psychosomatic Medicine)
    ABSTRACT ObjectiveA holistic understanding of the naturalistic dynamics among physical activity, sleep, emotions, and purpose in life as part of a system reflecting wellness is key to promoting well-being. The main aim of this study was to examine the day-to-day dynamics within this wellness system. MethodsUsing self-reported emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, anxiousness) and physical activity periods collected twice per day, and daily reports of sleep and purpose in life via smartphone experience sampling, more than 28 days as college students (n= 226 young adults; mean [standard deviation] = 20.2 [1.7] years) went about their daily lives, we examined day-to-day temporal and contemporaneous dynamics using multilevel vector autoregressive models that consider the network of wellness together. ResultsNetwork analyses revealed that higher physical activity on a given day predicted an increase of happiness the next day. Higher sleep quality on a given night predicted a decrease in negative emotions the next day, and higher purpose in life predicted decreased negative emotions up to 2 days later. Nodes with the highest centrality were sadness, anxiety, and happiness in the temporal network and purpose in life, anxiety, and anger in the contemporaneous network. ConclusionsAlthough the effects of sleep and physical activity on emotions and purpose in life may be shorter term, a sense of purpose in life is a critical component of wellness that can have slightly longer effects, bleeding into the next few days. High-arousal emotions and purpose in life are central to motivating people into action, which can lead to behavior change. 
    more » « less
  5. ; ; ; ; ; (, PeerJ)
    Background Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate is the most abundant circulating androgen in humans and other catarrhines. It is involved in several biological functions, such as testosterone production, glucocorticoid antagonist actions, neurogenesis and neuroplasticty. Although the role of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) in cognition remains elusive, the DHEAS/cortisol ratio has been positively associated with a slower cognitive age-decline and improved mood in humans. Whether this relationship is found in nonhuman primates remains unknown. Methods We measured DHEAS and cortisol levels in serum of 107 adult chimpanzees to investigate the relationship between DHEAS levels and age. A subset of 21 chimpanzees was used to test the potential associations between DHEAS, cortisol, and DHEAS/cortisol ratio in cognitive function, taking into account age, sex, and their interactions. We tested for cognitive function using the primate cognitive test battery (PCTB) and principal component analyses to categorize cognition into three components: spatial relationship tasks, tool use and social communication tasks, and auditory-visual sensory perception tasks. Results DHEAS levels, but not the DHEAS/cortisol ratio, declined with age in chimpanzees. Our analyses for spatial relationships tasks revealed a significant, positive correlation with the DHEAS/cortisol ratio. Tool use and social communication had a negative relationship with age. Our data show that the DHEAS/cortisol ratio, but not DHEAS individually, is a promising predictor of spatial cognition in chimpanzees. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email