Analysis of How Stress Affects Learning Outcomes during the Learning Process

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of stress on learning performance by examining physiological indicators such as heart rate variability (HRV) and brainwave activity (EEG). Ten male university students participated in an experiment where they watched instructional videos in three domains - History, Java, and Ruby - under three different stress conditions: low (no test notice), moderate (test announced), and high (test with penalty warning). Stress was measured using rMSSD from HRV and beta-to-alpha ratios from EEG data. After each session, participants completed a comprehension test.

The results showed individual differences in physiological responses to stress, and anticipated trends were not consistently observed. However, in the History domain, moderate stress levels were associated with higher comprehension scores, supporting the hypothesis that an optimal stress level may enhance learning. A ceiling effect in Java and Ruby test scores limited analysis in those categories. The study concludes that while moderate stress may positively influence learning, further research with a larger sample and improved test design is needed to draw stronger conclusions.

This work contributes to understanding the complex relationship between stress and learning and suggests that controlled stress levels might be leveraged to improve educational outcomes.