ABSTRACT
To what extent are anxiety reactions produced simply by the occurrence of test failure as a cognitively undifferentiated emotion, and thus possibly reflect a trait-like disposition? Evidence concerning the possibility that achievement anxiety is merely a global, diffused reaction to any failure irrespective of circumstances is sparse, and what data exist come largely from a series of studies that relate various achievement-linked emotions to success and failure outcomes (Weiner, Russell, & Lerman, 1978, 1979). This research suggests that certain emotional reactions to success and failure, such as happiness/ unhappiness, occur independent of any particular internal, causal attributions that may be made by the learner and hence have been dubbed, "outcome-independent emotions." In contrast, other achievement affect , primarily pride, guilt, and shame, depend heavily on achievement circumstances. Pride is maximized when success occurs through a combination of high effort and ability (Covington & Omelich, 1979c), whereas shame and guilt intensify as self ascriptions to low ability and to low effort increase, respectively (Covington & Omelich, l979b, 1984; Covington, Spratt, & Omelich, 1980; Nicholls, 1976; Weiner & Kukla, 1970). Unfortunately, little of this research has focused on anxiety reactions per se. Thus, the more refined research question becomes, "Are anxiety reactions to failure primarily outcome-independent, and conditioned largely by predispositions to anxiety; or are they in part the product of cognitive mediators that change with achievement circumstances?" The present research addresses these questions.
