Test Performance as a Function of Expected Form and Difficulty
Abstract The present experiment manipulated expected difficulty and expected form of a forthcoming test. Four groups of students studied a text expecting an easy or difficult, essay or multiple-choice exam and, after 15 minutes of study, took a combined, 10-item multiple-choice, one-essay exam. Those expecting a difficult essay exam performed significantly better on multiple-choice items than the other three groups, suggesting that any cues implying an easy exam (for example, the terms easy and/or multiple-choice) produce poorer performance. These results support the hypothesis that individuals work harder, rather than reduce effort, when difficult work is expected.