Exploring the Correlation of Physiological Stress Signals with Student Exam Performance: A Preliminary Study
Ayşegül K Kasap1,2, Burçin Kurt3
1Department of Therapy and Rehabilitation, Vocational School of Health Services, Gümüşhane University, Gümüşhane, Turkey.
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback
|January 17, 2025
Summary
Physiological stress signals like electrodermal activity and heart rate correlate with academic performance. Lower skin temperature and higher electrodermal activity predict poorer exam grades, highlighting stress impacts on students.
Area of Science:
- Psychophysiology
- Educational Psychology
- Data Science
Background:
- Real-world stress responses and their impact on cognitive performance are understudied.
- Understanding the link between physiological stress and academic outcomes is crucial for student support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between physiological stress indicators and academic performance in students.
- To analyze stress patterns across different exam periods and their correlation with grades.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an open-access dataset of 10 students across three exam sessions.
- Measured electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate (HR), and skin temperature (TEMP).
- Employed hypothesis testing, bootstrap validation, correlation, and regression tree modeling.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in physiological measures across exam sessions were found.
- Grades significantly differed between the final exam and midterms.
- Moderate negative correlation between EDA and HR; weak positive correlation between EDA and TEMP, intensifying during the final exam.
- Regression analysis explained 78% of grade variance; lower TEMP and higher EDA predicted poorer performance.
Conclusions:
- Physiological stress responses are linked to academic outcomes.
- Temporal variations in stress responses exist during exams.
- Identified specific physiological markers (low TEMP, high EDA) associated with lower academic performance, suggesting potential intervention targets.
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