Publication Date

Fall 2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Gregory Feist; Cheryl Chancellor-Freeland; Valerie Carr

Abstract

This study examined how observer presence and social anxiety influence stress and cognitive performance during neuropsychological assessments, focusing on the potential benefits of unsupervised digital testing environments. Eighty university students were randomly assigned to observed or unobserved digital neuropsychological conditions and completed assessments of social cognition and executive functioning and questionnaires of social anxiety and personality. Participants also completed measures of state anxiety and heart rate variability at baseline and after cognitive tests. The findings indicated that observation led to higher subjective anxiety, but it did not produce significant interactions with social anxiety on stress or cognitive performance. Post-hoc analyses revealed that researcher sex and participant age were significant predictors of subjective anxiety and executive performance, respectively. Although the hypotheses were not statistically supported, the observed patterns suggest that observer presence may impact anxiety and thinking abilities, affirming the need for further research with clinically anxious populations and more distinct testing conditions. The study underscores the potential of digital neuropsychological assessments to mitigate observer effects and better serve individuals affected by social anxiety, while emphasizing the importance of nuanced methodological considerations in future work.

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