Social Evaluative Threat Scenario

Research suggests that social evaluative threat (the presence of critical observers) can impair performance on demanding mathematical tasks. To test this, an experiment was conducted under two different environmental conditions:

• Condition 1: 30 university students solved a series of advanced calculus problems in a private, quiet study booth.
• Condition 2: The same 30 students solved an equivalent set of calculus problems while being observed by a panel of three stern-faced, critical examiners who gave negative non-verbal feedback (such as shaking their heads and taking notes of errors).

The study used a repeated measures design, was fully counterbalanced, and both sessions were completed in a single afternoon. To protect the participants' identity, the researchers ensured that all data collected was fully anonymized, with participants identified only by a randomized number.