How does an assessment weigh on a student?
Why we should move beyond talking about 'stakes'
When discussing assessments, the term "stakes" is often used to describe their importance. High-stakes assessments, like final exams or qualifications, are associated with real-world consequences such as determining academic progression or career opportunities. Low-stakes assessments, on the other hand, are framed as relatively inconsequential, designed for practice, feedback, or diagnostic purposes.
However, while this terminology is common, it oversimplifies the way students actually experience assessments.
The problem with the term "stakes" lies in its assumption that the importance of an assessment is an objective quality. In reality, students’ perceptions of an assessment's importance can differ drastically. For one student, a supposedly low-stakes quiz might feel like a high-stakes event because they associate it with proving their competence to their peers or teacher. Conversely, another student might dismiss the significance of a high-stakes test if they don’t believe it will affect their future or if they lack confidence in their ability to succeed.
This variability highlights a fundamental flaw in the language of stakes: it doesn’t account for the subjective experience of the student. By focusing solely on the stakes attached to the assessment by external factors - such as whether the result contributes to a grade or qualification - we risk overlooking the psychological weight an assessment carries for individual students.
When it comes to motivating students, it may be better to think in terms of assessment gravity rather than stakes. Gravity reflects the degree to which an assessment "weighs" on a particular student, encompassing not just the external consequences but also the student’s internal perceptions, beliefs, and emotional responses. Unlike stakes, gravity allows us to understand why some students seem unaffected by assessments that others find overwhelming and why the same student might react differently to assessments in different subjects or contexts.
By shifting our focus from stakes to gravity, we move closer to understanding the complex interplay between an assessment and the student’s motivational and emotional landscape. This perspective helps us appreciate that assessments are not experienced in a vacuum—they are deeply personal and shaped by the individual’s unique circumstances and mindset.
While the term stakes fails to capture the subjective experiences of students, assessment gravity offers a more nuanced way to understand the weight an assessment carries for different individuals. The gravitational pull of an assessment refers to the combined forces that influence how heavy an upcoming test feels to a student, shaping their emotional response, motivational drive, and effort.
The gravitational pull of an assessment is not fixed; it varies depending on several interconnected factors:
Real or Perceived Stakes
Students may perceive the stakes of an assessment differently depending on its consequences. A major exam like a GCSE naturally carries clear external stakes, but even a small classroom quiz can feel high-stakes if a student believes it affects their reputation or standing.
Perceived stakes often outweigh real stakes in shaping a student’s emotional and behavioural response. For example, a low-stakes quiz might feel significant to a perfectionist or a student who fears failure.
Beliefs About Self and Ability
A student’s belief system plays a critical role in determining how they experience an assessment’s pull. Students confident in their abilities may see an upcoming test as a manageable challenge, while those with low self-efficacy might feel overwhelmed or demoralised.
Similarly, students who believe their effort will result in improvement (high effort productivity) are more likely to engage with preparation than those who feel their hard work will have little effect.
Social and Contextual Influences
Peer comparisons, parental expectations, and teacher feedback all contribute to how a student perceives an assessment. A student who feels their performance will be scrutinised by others may experience heightened gravity.
Classroom norms and the way the teacher frames the assessment (e.g., as an opportunity for growth versus a measure of ability) can either amplify or reduce the assessment’s pull.
The gravitational pull of an assessment influences how students behave in the lead-up to the test. For some, gravity motivates productive study behaviours, encouraging focus and preparation. For others, it can have the opposite effect, causing procrastination, avoidance, or even giving up entirely. These differing responses reflect the complex ways that students interpret and respond to the pressures of an assessment.
For example:
A student who views an assessment as an opportunity to demonstrate their strengths may feel inspired to prepare thoroughly.
Another student, overwhelmed by the perceived consequences of failure, might disengage to protect their self-esteem.
Some students may obsessively over-prepare for even minor assessments, reflecting an internalised pressure to excel at all costs.
Understanding the gravitational pull of an assessment helps us move beyond simplistic labels like “high-stakes” or “low-stakes.” It shifts our focus to the psychological processes at play and encourages a more empathetic view of how students experience assessments. By recognising the diverse factors that contribute to assessment gravity, we can begin to appreciate why students react so differently to similar situations.
This concept also lays the groundwork for understanding how students make decisions about the time and effort they invest in preparing for assessments—a topic we explore in this post.