“The Relationship between Personality Type and Test Anxiety and its Effect on Achievement”

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring the relationship between personality type and test anxiety and the effect of both on achievement as well as the study of each of the following variables: (sex, college, study year, and accumulative average) on test anxiety and personality type for Irbid National University students. The sample included (512) male and female students selected from Humanities and Science colleges. The study used (Friedman & Bendas, 1997) scale to measure test anxiety. As for personality type (Eysenck Personality Inventory, 1974) (EPI) list was used. The findings of the study indicated that the type of personality (extrovert – unstable) was the highest among the other types with a percentage of (40,82%), followed by the type of personality (introvert – unstable) (35,35%), Meanwhile, the type of Personality (extrovert– stable) became third (12,70%). Finally the type of personality (introvert – stable) came last (11.13%) .The findings of the study also indicated that the percentage of the sample of the study who had a moderate anxiety was the highest (61,91%), followed by low anxiety with a percentage of (20,70%), but the percentage of the high anxiety was (17,39%). The findings showed a significant positive relationship (0.05= α) between the type of personality (extrovert – unstable, introvert – unstable) and the levels of test anxiety, while no significant relationship between the type of personality (extrovert– stable, introvert – stable), and levels of test anxiety was found. The findings also Pointed to the ability to foretell the effect of students personality types (extrovert – stable, introvert – stable) on their achievement. There is also an ability a foretell the effect of test anxiety (moderate anxiety) on students achievement. Finally the findings of the study indicated that there were no significant differences of the level of test anxiety due to sex, but significant differences between the level of the test anxiety was due to: (college, year of the student, accumulative average) in favor of (scientific colleges, first year students, accumulative average (less than 68) were found respectively.