One area of social-behavioral learning that really interests me is test anxiety. A lot of students know the feeling—your mind goes blank, your palms sweat, and suddenly even your own name feels like a tough question. Educational psychology shows that this kind of stress actually messes with how our brain works during learning and recall. Research has found that high anxiety can reduce working memory (the brain’s “scratchpad”) and make it harder to focus, organize thoughts, or retrieve information we already know. So even if a student studied hard, anxiety can block their performance like a pop-up ad you can’t close during a test.

To understand this better, psychologists use concepts like emotional regulation, self-efficacy, and metacognition. Emotional regulation is all about managing stress in the moment (think breathing exercises or positive self-talk). Self-efficacy is basically believing you can do well, which boosts motivation and effort. Metacognition means being aware of your own thinking—like knowing when you’re freaking out and how to calm yourself down. These ideas help explain why two students with the same knowledge can perform very differently depending on how they feel. The evidence is clear: emotions and mindset aren’t just background noise—they’re part of the learning process itself.