Regarding test anxiety, isn't the ability to clear your mind and focus on the task in front of you actually a component of intelligence, such that anxiety which affects test score actually is an indicator of lower intelligence?,(reply>), @Damien my hypothesis fits the facts and is supported by evidence. Yours does not, so far as I'm aware, but let me know if it does.<br>A person who has such anxiety that, when the chips are down, it interferes with their cognitive performance is inferior, in terms of cognitive performance, to a person who does not have such anxiety. It's obvious the latter is a better choice for an important task when the chips are down. Tests are doing their job when they weed out people with test anxiety.,(reply>), Consequently, is being overconfident and unaware of our own ignorance an indicator of lower intelligence, such that anxiety actually is a component of intelligence? 👀