Exploring Potential Relationships Between Self-Efficacy, Performance, and Electrodermal Arousal in Engineering Exams

• In Event: 51.028 - Teaching and Learning Engineering in K–12 Contexts

Abstract

This exploratory, empirical study examined the potential relationships between self-efficacy and electrodermal activity (a measure of physiological arousal) within the context of problem performance in an engineering exam. Physiological arousal is commonly discussed as a source of SE, which is known to be important for managing emotions and predicting exam scores. Yet, the dynamic relationship between SE and EDA in the context of authentic tasks (i.e., exam problems) is seldom explored. Preliminary findings suggests that for erroneously answered exam problems, SE and EDA were negatively correlated; no correlation was found for the opposite scenario. These findings point to the role actual exam problem performance may have at influencing SE and EDA relationships.

Authors

• Darcie Christensen, Utah State University

• Idalis Villanueva, Utah State University

• Jesse Wheeler, Utah State University

• Paul Vicioso

• Shawn Andrew Lampkins-Uthando, University of Oregon

• Kate Youmans, Utah State University