CHAPTER I

Introduction
This chapter presented the background of the study that led to
researchers in doing this study, the problems they answered at the end
of the paper, the hypotheses the researchers had tested, its scopes
and limitations and significance.
A. Background of the Study
Such theories in learning can often contrast with each other
depending on the type of learning they describe. Moreover, students
typically spend a great time studying these different theories. Some of
them have fallen out of favor or enough evidence, while others remain
widely accepted. All are contributed, tested and even proven so as to
tremendously understand how a person learns.
How and what do people learn? People learn from things that
happen around them such as experiences. We can say that an
individual learns because they acquire appropriate responses such as
simple

responses,

perceptual

and

emotional

responses.

We

experience things and learn to modify behavior base on what we know.

We learn to sequence our behavior and develop highly coordinated
skills. Our basic drives are also learned in which is appropriately
expressed at a given time. People who learn about their environment
are important for adaptation and survival. This also involves also
involves complex applications of old experiences to adapt to new and
different situations. We learn words and symbols to express this world
to others. Even personality is viewed to be learned by a person for
most of the behavioral traits such as extroversion is a result of learning.
With this, the researchers have decided to conduct an experiment
regarding the formulation of a theory named as Pressure-Ease
Theory as a possible key concept of learning.

Pressure is defined as a real or perceived serious demands

imposed on one person by another individual or group. It is a perceived
expectation of a need to perform well under challenging situations.
When working under pressure, it involves with different situations that
are challenging to resolve. The difficulty of the situation may be the
result of time constraints, complex problems, unrealistic expectations,
competing

demands,

limited

resources,

limited

control,

or

combination of any of the challenges. Fear of failure and expectation

are also tied to pressure. Pressure starts inside with your thoughts for
example: having high expectations from yourself and to others turns
into pressure.
One is dealing with time pressure. Where does time pressure, in
particular, come from? Randall said that time pressure often seems to
result from external causes: from having too much work assigned by a
supervisor, from a having lacks of time or from relentless objective flow
of time itself. How does time pressure affect learning? It depends on a
lot of factors including the learning context, the learner, the amount of
time they have to complete a task, and many more. All learning is time
limited, so it is necessary to break it down to different lengths of time.
Peer pressure is a kind of pressure that influences you to feel from a
person or a group of people you may not otherwise consider doing. It
doesnt always affect us in a negative way. It can be a great influence
and help or motivate you to do your best but it can result of doing
something that doesnt fit with your sense of right and wrong. Being an
individual means making decisions based on what is best for a person.
This means you take ownership and responsibility for what you do and
how you think. But this also means that the person can be a valued
part of a comfortable and welcoming group. It might be hard for the
individual to resist peer pressure and stay as an individual.
Dupui says that, in a test made, when a certain character is under
stress, he may be able to learn skills in a much less than time than the
usual. It means that when a person undergoes pressure, the time it
2

takes for a person to learn a skill through a study reduces. Studies also
said that stress will only facilitate learning and memory processes
when the stress experienced in the context and around the time of the
event that needs to be remembered or experienced. In the field of
psychology, some forms of stress are useful in making a person alert
and attentive. Alertness and attentiveness are necessary conditions in
learning. Mild to moderate stress prepares a person to handle a major
learning hurdle, such as an exam, heightens his attention level, and
makes him learn faster. When a person is faced with uncertainty,
change or challenge, the body responds to stress with hormonal
reactions.
It revives, energizes, and produces adrenalin to pump the body into
action. With this motivation can be carried to long-term improvement in
learning and performance. Continued exposure to manageable stress
also leads to a persons resilience until such extent that learning under
pressure becomes a normal thing. While it is not correct to say that
learning and stress must be the standard in acquiring knowledge, there
are situations when learning under stress is inevitable.
The researches wanted to determine through this study if people
learn when they are confronted by pressure or when at ease. The
researchers wanted to determine if there is a significant relationship
between the time used in pressure and ease and the scores in the
exam taken by the subject.
B. Statement of the Problem
This research aims to determine whether people learn when they
are pressured or would they prefer being at ease. The following
questions will help determine the outcome of this study.
a. What is the demographic profile of the subjects
according to:
3

i.

age;

ii.

gender; and

iii. grade level

b. Does the absence of pressure and ease affect the
way people learn?
c. How is pressure and ease applied in learning?
d. Is there a significant relationship between the time
used in performing challenges under pressure and the
scores in written exam of the students?
e. Is the scores in the written exam of students in
Pressure Experiment significantly higher than the
scores in the written exam of students in Ease
Experiment?
C. Hypothesis
The researchers needed to find if there is a significant
relationship between the time used in performing challenges with
pressure and ease and the scores in written exam. The following
statistical hypotheses served as a conjecture about the sample
statistical data which might be true or not.
Using a level of significance of 0.05 in a one-tailed test;
H: The scores in the written exam of students in Pressure Experiment
is not significantly higher than the Ease Experiment.
H: The scores in the written exam of students in Pressure Experiment
is significantly higher than the Ease Experiment.
Using a level of significance of 0.05 in a two-tailed test;
H: There is no significant relationship between the time used in
performing challenges under pressure and the scores in written
exam.
4

H: There is a significant relationship between the time used in

performing challenges under pressure and the scores in written
exam.
D. Significance of the Study
Many learning theories were made and had given a larger
contribution in the field of psychology in which up until now has been
used by professionals, therapeutics and students in their studies. The
outcome of the study enabled the researchers to know whether a
person under pressure or not learns. This is important for not only the
researchers will have guarantee to the outcome of the study, but also
to those people who might find this study a benefit for their career and
an assessment to students requirements.
The Students. Students in 4th to 6th grade are the direct recipient.
In this study students may be aware of the things that pressure them;
they may be able to adjust and done something on things that can
pressure them in learning.
The Parents. One of the research benefits are the students
parents, they may be able to know in what different aspect or in what
kind of pressure their child learn or not, so therefore awareness of
parents may help them in their childs learning process.
The Teachers. Another beneficiary of the study, teachers are the
students guides in learning, through this study, teachers may know in
what kind of pressure are more effective in childs learn, they may be
able to adjust to add some pressure that can help their students learn
more effectively or they can help their students cope up when in times
of pressure.
The Society. People in the society are another beneficiary of this
study, society may be aware of the things that affect children. They can
5

also help students to cope up pressures.

Future Researchers. The outcome of the study will benefit either
the present or the future researchers, this study can help them and
serves as guide when conducting the particular research and can also
help to arise another learning theory about pressure.
Psychologists. Other psychologists could use this study to expand
their knowledge about the effectiveness of pressure and ease as
determinants of learning. With this, they can conduct another study to
support other researchers' idea and might consider to advice this to
their families and even future clients.
School Administration. The school personnel or the main
administration of the school can benefit to this study by giving them
ideas of what can motivate their students to learn more and have a
better performance.
Other Readers. Other than those specific people mentioned
above, others who can read this study can get additional thoughts on
how people learn which they can apply to themselves.
E. Scope and Limitation
The studys main focus was to find out if Pressure-Ease theory
could be a possible key concept of learning and also to determined
which could cause a significantly higher scores in a written exam.
Another aim of the researchers was to find out if there would be a
significant relationship between the time used in completing the
task and the students scores in the pressure experiment.
The researchers' time frame for this study took approximately 4
days to finish the experiment. The schools used in this study were
St. John of Beverley in Quezon City and Caloocan Bethel Christian
School where the researchers gathered a total of 100 students
6

from grades 4, 5 and 6. The students' challenges were based on

the "What Do We Learn" topic in the Psychology of Learning which
had included the language, problem-solving and perceptual
response.

CHAPTER II
Review of Related Literature
This chapter presented the related literature and studies gathered
from different articles, journals and websites. The following were
important and had a relation to the present study.
A. Foreign Studies
Otten (2009) conducted a research that tests the hypotheses that
an athlete's tendency to choke versus a good performance depends on
his/her personality, situational influences, and knowledge when
pressured. He used a structural equation model to conclude the
performance of an athlete or a common individual when he/she is
under pressure. The participants were chosen by their personal
preferences having an average of 6.95 years of experience in playing
basketball, average age of 20.13 and 32% of them claimed having
played as a varsity. In the first set of experiment, participants tend to
shoot 15 basketball shots wherein everything in the environment is at
ease. In the second set, the researcher put pressure which resulted in
a better performance that the other one. This study shows that there is
a significant difference between the performances under pressure than
the usual one which is at ease. It also suggests that greater anxiety an
individual will feel he/she can be more focus on the task.

According to a journal made by Nauert (2013), it may be better to

associate anxiety to excitement to overcome performance anxieties
and may lead to a higher chance of greater performance. The same as
the study conducted in Harvard University (2008) when participants
were asked to prepare a public speech and their performance will be
videotaped. Those excited participants perform better that those who
are calm. These were supported by Schoen (2013) when he stated that
to perform under pressure and stress condition is one of the best skills
we can develop. He also give some strategies like accepting that
pressure related discomfort is normal, welcome and embrace pressure,
and learn to practice under imperfect conditions.
Butavicius, Lee and Vast (n.d.) focused on the effect of pressure
not from the anxiety or stress condition, but from parent and peer
pressure. They conduct the study named "Face Matching under Time
Pressure and Task Demands". Participants undergone into four
conditions: high time pressure with additional task, low time pressure
with no additional task, high time pressure with no additional task and
low time pressure with additional task. The results showed that recall
performance is better than the precision performance and a learning
effect in the experiment since the participants made to adapt over the
time and familiarized with the demands of specific conditions.
Somehow, not all researchers tend to agree on the aspect that
pressure, anxiety and even stress can lead or result to better
performance or learning of a person. Grohol (2013) emphasizes that
anxiety is one of the factors that worsens the learning and performance
of a person and in severe cases; it may lead to intense uncomfortable
feeling, out of control and helplessness.
Another factor wherein researchers focused on was the effect of
parents and peers pressure on someone. Aktar & Aziz (2011) used an
opinnionare to obtain opinions from the students regarding peer and
parent pressure on their academic achievement. Results showed that
parent pressure is more effective on female students in improving their
8

performance compared to neither male student that neither parents nor

peers are effective.
B. Local Studies
Many foreign studies found out that pressure related discomfort
such as anxiety and stress and parent, peer and time pressure are big
factors in improving the performance and learning of an individual. The
researcher also found some local studies in connection with the effect
of pressure and ease in learning.
On the article written in Philippine Star, Aldanese (2011) said that
peer pressure can also prefer to as peer influence or social influence adapting a specific kind of behavior, attitude in order to be accepted as
a part of the group is mostly experience by teens. He said that
influences are not necessarily a bad thing because all are influenced
by peers, both in positively and negatively way. He gave two main
features that distinguish decision making of teens. First, in early
adolescence, teenagers are drawn to immediate awards of potential
choice and are less attentive to possible risks. Second is that teenager
in general are still learning to control their selves to the way the can
resist pressure from others. He also said that teens tend to make
decisions in the heat of the moment by the influence of external factors
such as peers.
This is supported by the research conducted by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2007), where teens volunteered in
playing a video driving game either alone or with friends. Researchers
have found out that number of risks took in driving game doubled when
their friends were around than they are alone. Peers can help in
shaping and developing our brain and can encourage us to study
better.
Leonardo Leonidas (2012) contradicted foreign researchers in his
9

article about stress and learning. According to him, pressure discomfort

like stress is one of the biggest factors that results in school failure. He
said that most of us have heard "PTSD," or post-traumatic stress
disorder which was first described in American soldiers who fought in
Vietnam. He explained here that soldiers who died that had a history of
PTSD had evidence of cell damage in the memory center called
hippocampus compared to those who had no history of PTSD.
Students who have suffered from chronic stress do not do well in Math,
have poor memory and cannot easily adapt old information to new
problems.
A study about education under pressure was made by Teresa
Martinez (2013) wherein she stated that many students felt pressured,
burdened and exhausted when studying. One reason is that with
regards to continuing a family legacy that existed for a long time.
Despite the freedom of choice most children experience in this modern
time, many parents still hold on to their professional ambitions for their
children. Another reason is the standards. Having parents or siblings
who graduated with honors can make children feel required to grasp.
The level of competition for them is tough, because one should be
always on step ahead of others. Martinez emphasized that demands of
the society and the world had increasingly put pressure on students. It
can either give a good or bad outcome depending on the motivation it
will bring them.
C. Synthesis
The idea of pressure and ease and its effect in learning process
bothered many researchers and motivated some to create a study
about the topics. Researches about this topic were being done to
provide further findings and concepts on how people learn.
A study that was conducted in the Harvard University (2013) that
tested the effect of being excited and calm in the performance during
activities that trigger anxiety like delivering a public speech, found out
10

that people who are excited tend to have longer and more speeches
than those who are calm. It shows that people started thinking on how
to deal with pressure caused by anxiety and stress. Additional to this,
Butavicius, Lee and Vast's (n.d.) study of "Face Matching Under Time
Pressure and Task Worsened" shows that the participants adopted and
can familiarize themselves on the demand of each specific condition
like time pressure and additional task to do and it also suggest that
learning was showed. Contradicting these, two studies were done
which gave opposing ideas on the above researches. Grohol (2013)
and Leonardo Leonidas (2012), a local researcher, listed stress as one
of the biggest hindrance in learning. They emphasized that prolonged
stress, especially when severe can lead to depression and even
helplessness and not learning. People learn when they feel at ease
and no emotional factors like stress and anxietyis within them, will
make theme be more focus on the task to do.
On the other hand, Bernsen, Seggers and Tillema (2009) created a
study that was conducted about learning under pressure which resulted
in finding association in learning under pressure and workload and it
can be subjected to further studies. Another foreign study was
conducted to compare the chance of an athlete to choke or had a good
performance when under pressure, (Otten, 2009). The participants who
were chosen by their preferences were asked to play basketball and
shoot 15 balls. In the first set, they did the task with no pressure. In the
second set, the researchers put pressure which resulted to a better
performance of the players. The researchers suggested also that the
greater anxiety he/she feels leads to greater attention in the task.
Sometimes, learning under pressure does not always mean that a
learner experiences pressure related discomforts such as anxiety or
stress. There are some instances that parents and peers can bring
pressure to learners. Aktar & Aziz (2011) study about Parent-Peer
Pressure which resulted that parent pressure mainly affect the female
students' academic achievement than the male students who were
11

neither affected by parent nor peer pressure. However, in one of the

local study, Aldanese (2011) said that teenagers tend to make
decisions at the heat of the moment which was usually influenced by
external factors like peers.
With all of these foreign and local studies that are connected in
pressure and ease in learning, the researchers were able to find
different contradicting ideas of the above researches. These bring
some holes which are needed to be filled by compact ideas. This leads
to researchers to conduct a separate study regarding pressure and
ease in learning wherein different ideas will be adapted and united to
form a better conclusion to provide a more acceptable result and
findings.

D. Conceptual Framework

12

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Pressure-Ease Theory as

Learning Determinant Among 4 th, 5th and 6th Grade Students of St. John
of Beverley and Caloocan Bethel Christian School
The figure above showed the conceptual framework of the
researchers' study of 100 students from St. John of Beverley and
Caloocan Bethel Christian School under the pressure and ease
experiment. In the pressure group, factors such as time, peer and
13

parent pressure were applied as the demands of the environment on

the students that undergone this experiment. These factors served as
demands that caused pressure related discomfort like anxiety to
students which led them to a greater attention in the task. In the ease
group, all the mentioned factors earlier were removed that resulted in
the students' moved and performed the tasks freely and no limitations.
At the end of this, the researchers had evaluated the students' learning
through written exam and the results were recorded.
E. Definition of Terms
The following were operationally defined in order to have a clear
understanding of the study.
Pressure. Putting demands on someone and giving specific conditions
that can both positively and negatively affect him/her. In the study,
researchers applied different pressure like time, parent and peer
pressure that test the students learning abilities, problem-solving skills,
perceptual response, and language. It served as environment demand
that determined whether the students could learn and perform tasks
correctly and rapidly.
Working memory. This is a system for temporarily storing and
managing information. It also plays a role in complex cognitive tasks.
Working memory took place as a temporary storing and managing
information from the challenges prepared by the researchers. The
students working memory were tested by remembering the instruction
and information from the challenges given to them.
Anxiety. A pressure related discomfort caused by certain situations
that make someone nervous or feel stressed. This was what the
subjects felt inside the dark room in the Pressure Experiment.
Recall performance. It is a measure of performance on how a person
can retrieve information or events that was once encountered. It was
14

applied by the researchers to test how the students could retrieve

information in a specific time together with the demands of the
environment given by the researchers through instructions in written
exams.
Precision Performance. It is a measure of performance on how close
the results are with each other Parent pressure- pressure caused by
parents.

The

researchers

determined

the

subjects

precision

performance by giving them exam throughout the challenges with or

without the presence of pressure.
Peer Pressure. This refers to the influence that peers can have on
each other. It also implies the process that influences people to do
things that may be resistant to, or might not otherwise choose to do.
Time Pressure. This refers to a pressure caused by time by giving
limitations in time or by push a person to rush the time in doing a
certain task. The researchers gave the students in pressure experiment
time limitations in order to complete the challenge. Through this, the
researchers obtained needed results for the study.
Parent Pressure. It is a pressure when a parent puts too much strain
on their child to force them to exceed. The pressure is normally to be
the best in the chosen field, even one that they used to succeed at and
now can't. The subjects in the pressure experiment were told that while
performing the challenges that they were being videotaped and it will
be showed to their parents. With this kind of pressure, the subjects
tend to be motivated to excel in their performance.
Ease. It refers to the absence of pressure or difficulty. This also means
to make something in a less serious manner. In the study, ease was
applied by removal of all the demands of the environment which were
the different pressures applied by the researchers.

15

CHAPTER III
Methodology
This

chapter

presented

the

procedures,

research

design,

instruments used by the researchers. The statistical tests used by the

researchers and locations of experiment were also mentioned in this
chapter.
A. Research Design
The researchers use the Experimental Research specifically the
Overt-Observational research as the research method. Experimental
research is systematic and scientific approach to a research where the
researcher manipulates one or more variable; it also measures and
16

controls the change in variables, the subjects are picked randomly

among different groups. It also helps to define the causation of an
experiment.
Observational research because of the direct access of the
researchers to the phenomena instead on relying by asking what a
person can do or using some questionnaires that sometimes it doesnt
provide any accurate information. The phenomena is being observed
or recorded that it needs to be in qualitative or quantitative in
components. In the study the measure of time would be the qualitative,
the researchers observed how the subjects act while solving puzzles
under given pressures. Direct observation or observational research, is
a technique that involves the direct observation of phenomena in their
natural setting and measures directly the behavior. It is also used when
procedures like questionnaire method and surveys are not more
effective when collecting data.
Overt observational research is a type of observational research
that the researcher identity themselves as a researcher and explains
the purpose of observations. The researcher are being open about the
things in the study, like in the study will test their learning under
pressure and it was recorded. It is also carried out that the subjects
are agreed that he/she will be part of the study that will be taken. It also
helped to be the research as unbiased and it keeps the objective of the
observation.
B. Research Locale
The study was conducted in two private schools in Metro Manila
mainly from Caloocan and Quezon City. The first school were the
experiment was conducted was the St. John of Beverley specifically
located at 749 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon
City. The school was founded on September 23, 1995. It was named
after an English Bishop from Kingdom of Nothumbia named John of
Beverley. It is currently headed by Madam Erlinda P. Mercado.
17

Figure 1:
Faade
of St.

John

of

Beverley

Figure 2: Vicinity Map of St. John of Beverley

18

The second school was Caloocan Bethel Christian School located

at 504A.Mabini St., Caloocan Metro Manila. This is one of the mission
field of CBAG, believes that children are precious components of
society--unique in their biological make-up, interest & capabilities.

Figure 3: Faade of Caloocan Bethel Christian School

Figure 4: Vicinity Map of Caloocan Bethel
Christian School
The study is focused on learning of students in times of pressure, if
they learn and respond more under pressure or not. Grade schools
students specifically students in 5th and 6th grade would be the target
population.

19

C. Sample and Sampling Method

This part of the study shows how the researchers determine the
number of its respondents and how they choose the sample needed.
The subjects for the study were 4 th, 5th and 6th grade of St. John of
Beverley and Caloocan Bethel Christian School. Twenty-five students
were picked from each grade in both schools that resulted to a total of
100 subjects in all. However, in choosing the subjects, the researchers
used one of the sampling techniques, Random Sampling wherein the
samples were obtained by using chance method. To make everything
fair and clean, the researchers decided to use a method under random
sampling named the Fish Bowl Method. Here, members of the
population of each grade had an equal chance to be selected as a
sample. The students' names were written in a small piece of paper,
put in a box and one by one, the researchers picked from the box the
names of the samples.
The study sought to prove the use of either pressure or ease in
learning of a person. The 100 subjects were divided into 2 groups:
pressure and ease group. Fifty students in pressure group performed
the challenges inside a room wherein different pressures where applied
by the researchers and their learning were tested at the end of the
entire challenge. The other half was put in the ease group wherein the
performed the challenges inside a room with no pressure at all. The
same as the other group were tested at the end of the entire challenge.
D. Instrumentation
In order to get the information needed. The researcher will use
different challenges and the room escape challenge.
The subjects were asked to solve different challenges in a room
20

escape condition under different pressures; time, sound and other

different pressures. Inside the room, the subjects need to answer and
solve 4 different challenges; reading comprehension, problem-solving,
language problems and puzzle. These challenges were adopted from 3
out of 9 of What Do We Learn concept in Psychology of Learning.
It measured their problem-solving skill, perceptual responses and
language. After the room escape challenge, the subjects were given a
written exam to test their learning. The challenges under pressure
tested their learning ability in times of pressure and other demands and
specific conditions of the environment. The said experiment was
recorded.
E. Procedures
There were 100 students that served as the subjects for this
research which were randomly picked using a fish bowl method. These
students came from elementary department specifically from Grades 4
and 6. The subjects were divided into two groups consisting of 50
students each. One group was for the Pressure Experiment and the
other one is for Ease Experiment. In each group, the students were
subdivided into 2 students per set who entered the room to perform the
challenges.
For the Pressure experiment, students were locked inside a room.
At first, the researchers gave them an instrument to be used inside the
dark room like a flashlight. It served as their guide to finish the
challenges and to escape from the room. The room was filled with 4
challenges:

reading

comprehension,

problem-solving,

language

problems and puzzle. These challenges served as representation of 3

out of 9 list of "What Do We Learn" in Psychology of Learning. The
students were given only 7 minutes to complete the entire task or else
they won't be leaving the room. The researchers provided this time
pressure together with scary and annoying sounds that provided
21

anxiety feeling to subjects. The subjects were also told that their
performance will be videotaped and be presented to their parents.
When they were able to finish the specific task, a written exam was
given immediately to test what they learn. The time they finished the
task and leave able to leave the room together with their scores were
all recorded.
For the Ease experiment, students were still locked inside a room,
but the difference was they don't need to find any instrument that would
serve as light because the lights were not turned off. They also needed
to finish the challenges inside but this time with. Longer time was given
and no scary sounds and videotaping ideas were put so they could feel
comfortable and at ease. After they completed each challenge, a test
was also given immediately to measure what they learn. The time and
scores of the students were also recorded.
F. Statistical Analysis
All the significant data that were collected were statistically treated
by the researchers using the Pearson Product-Moment Coefficient of
Correlation which measures the strength and direction of a linear
equation between two variables. It was pioneered by a British
Statistician named Karl Pearson. This is used when the data is in
interval or ratio scale of measurement. The formula for this is:

22

x2

n

n

n xy( x)( y)
r=

When:
x = observed data for independent variable
y = observed data for dependent variable
N = number of samples observed
x

= mean of the observed data for independent variable

= mean of the observed data for dependent variable.

This statistical test was used by the researchers in finding out if

there is a relationship between the time used in the challenges and the
score in the written exam of the students in the Pressure Experiment.
After this, another statistical test was used by the researchers in testing
if the obtained value of r was significant. This test was Significance of
the Correlation Coefficient with the formula:

t=r

n2
1r 2

When:
r = value of Pearson r - Correlation Coefficient obtained
n = the number of samples used in the study

23

The another statistical test used by the researchers was the T-test
Comparing 2 Sample means which was used in finding out if the
scores in written exams of students in pressure experiment was
significantly higher than the scores in written exams of the students in
ease experiment. The formula for this is:

t=

( x1 x2 ) ( n)

2
1

+ s 22

When:
x 1 = mean of the observed data in the first group
x 2 = mean of the observed data in the second group
n

= the number of samples used in the study

s1

= standard deviation of the first group

s2

= standard deviation of the second group

CHAPTER IV
Results and Discussion
This chapter presented the results and findings from the

experiment done by the researchers together with the discussion and

conclusions that answered the problems mentioned on the first part of
the study.
A. Results and Findings
In the statistical tests used by the researchers, the following values
needed for each were solved:
In the table below showed mean and standard deviation of the
scores of students both from Pressure and Ease Experiment with the
computed t-value for T-test of Comparing 2 Sample Means
Table 1: Values obtained from the Scores of students on the

24

written exam comparing pressure and ease experiment

x 1

6 . 08

s1

1. 275

x 2

5 .12

In the next table below showed the summation of the needed data
for computing Pearson R Correlation Coefficient from the time used
in completing the challenges by the students and their scores in written
exam in the Pressure Experiment, together with the obtained value of r.

Table 2: Values obtained from the data that was used for
Pearson R - Correlation Coefficient

x
y
2
x

261. 28

304
1405 . 4122
1928

y
xy

1554 . 88

r=0 . 60

The table below showed the value of Pearson R Correlation

Coefficient that was computed and the number of subjects in the
Pressure Experiment with the computed t-value for Significance of
Correlation Coefficient.
Table 3: Value of the Pearson R - Correlation Coefficient and
number of subjects that was used for the Significance of
Correlation Coefficient

25

There were 100 students in all from Grades 4, 5 and 6 of St. John
of Beverley and Caloocan Bethel Christian School that served as
subjects of the researchers for this study. Their performance were
measured with a use of written exams that tested their learning under
pressure and ease experiments. The researchers recorded the scores
of the students from the two different experiments as shown below in
r
0. 60
Table 4.
n

50

Table 4: Scores of Students in a

t=5. 20

Written Exam from Pressure and

Ease Experiments
PRESSURE
8
8
8
6
6
6
6
6
4
6
4
6
6
6
6
6
4
8
6
6
8
8
6
4
4

EASE
6
6
6
4
8
6
6
4
6
8
6
8
8
8
8
8
6
6
4
6
6
8
4
6
6

6
4
6
4
4
4
4
6
6
4
6
4
4
6
4
4
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
6
4

6
6
4
4
6
4
4
6
4
4
4
8
6
6
6
4
8
6
4
6
4
6
4
4
6

26

In the table below, the researchers listed in pairs the time used by
the students in finishing the challenge and their corresponding scores
in the written exams.
Table 5: Time (in minutes) Used in Performing the Challenge
and the Scores in the Written Exam of Students Under
Pressure.
Time (in
minutes)
4.85
4.55
6.48
6.58
5.50
5.23
6.32
6.54
5.30
5.22
4.06
2.25
5.26
5.14
5.40
5.01
5.30
4.43
5.20
6.15
4.30
6.30
5.50
5.49
6.43

Scores

Time (in

Scores

8
8
8
6
6
6
6
6
4
6
4
6
6
6
6
6
4
8
6
6
8
8
6
4
4

minutes)
5.04
4.44
4.40
5.18
4.39
4.55
5.05
6.33
5.42
4.31
4.43
6.42
6.42
5.23
5.13
5.58
6.03
5.08
4.52
5.00
6.45
4.07
4.48
5.19
5.35

6
6
6
4
8
6
6
4
6
8
6
8
8
8
8
8
6
6
4
6
6
8
4
6
6

27

Figure 6: Representations of the percentages of the number male and

female students participated on the study
In the figure above, it was showed that there was a 58-42
distribution of the female and male students, respectively, who
participated in the study.

Figure 7: Pie chart of the percentage of the students age

The figure above showed the students' age which vary from 9 to 12
with a total of 10, 25, 36 and 20 which resulted to an average age of
10.65.

28

Figure 8: Pie chart of the grades 4, 5 and 6 students participated on the

study
In this figure, the researchers showed that 25 students were picked
from grade 4, 27 from grade 5 and 48 students from grade 6 with a
total of 100 students in all.
B. Discussion
Based from the results of the data gathered, there was a 58-42
distribution of the female and male students, respectively, who
participated in the study. The students' age vary from 9 to 12 with a
total of 10, 25, 35 and 20 which resulted to an average age of 10.65.
The researchers also found out that 25 students were picked from
grade 4, 27 from grade 5 and 48 students from grade 6 with a total of
100 students in all.
For the first obtained value, t = 3.95, was greater than the critical
value of 1.645. This result led the researchers to reject the null
hypothesis. This means that the scores in a written exam of students in
pressure experiment was significantly higher compared to the scores of
students in the ease experiment. Demands of the environment like the
pressure applied and the pressure related discomfort they felt inside
29

the room led the students to be more focused on what they were doing
so they could escape immediately in the room. Supporting these ideas,
study conducted by Otten who used basketball players as his subjects
led to a result that players tend to perform better when said that they
were videotaped while shooting. He also concluded that the more a
person feel anxiety which is a pressure related discomfort, the more
task he/she could accomplished and more attention in doing the task.
The next obtained value, r = -0.60 proved that there was a
relationship, yet negative moderate relationship between the time used
in completing the challenge and the students' scores in the written
exam in Pressure Experiment. Testing the significance of the
correlation coefficient obtained, another value, t = I-5.20I was greater
than the critical value of 1.645 that also led the researcher to reject the
null hypothesis which means that the obtained value of r was
significant, yet negative moderate relationship. There was a significant
inverse relationship between the time accumulated and the students'
scores in written exam which means the students reached the
maximum time in completing the challenge, their scores got low and
vice versa.
C. Conclusion
From the statistical findings and results obtained by the
researchers, it was concluded that the scores in the written exam of the
students under pressure experiment was significantly higher than the
scores in the written exam of the students under the ease experiment
which showed that students under pressure experiment learn more and
perform better compared to other group. The researchers derived that
putting pressure could help the students to perform well compared to
the ease experiment. The subjects in pressure experiment exerted
more attention in answering and completing the task because they had
the will to escape and leave the room. The researchers also observed
that the subjects wanted more to experience the challenge with
30

pressure because it gives more enjoyment and thrill in completing the

task. Also, subjects wanted to be part of the pressured group because
it gives them adrenalin rush to finish the different tasks or challenges.
The researcher had concluded also that there is a significant
relationship, yet negative moderate between the time used in
completing the challenge and the students' scores in a written exam
under the Pressure Experiment. It means that there is an inverse
relationship between the time used and scores. As the student
maximized the time limit given, he/she got a low score and vice versa.
It also mean that as the environment demands more and cause
pressure related discomfort to the subjects, they tend to to give more
attention on the task given that resulted to a higher score since they
were also eager to escape in the room.
Unlike to the Ease Experiment, the subjects tend to relax in doing
the challenge and they take the task less serious compared to the
students in the pressured experiment. It also show that students in
ease experiment does not show any motivation in performing the
challenges given to them by the researchers, it simply showed that
students under ease theory was not within the students interest.

31

CHAPTER V
Recommendation
This chapter presented the recommendations that the researchers
suggested for the improvement of this study and also the people who
can benefit from this.
In view of the conclusions the researchers offer the following
recommendations.
The study aims to determine if pressure can affect the learning of
the students in grades 4 to 6. The future researchers should make it a
point that they select their subjects in the particular level. Knowing that
they are median class of the students from elementary to high school,
the researchers conclude that they are in the shape in learning and at
the same time, their knowledge are just like an average and not
exceeding for the challenged used.
The teachers and mentors of the students in this level may inflict
sufficient/enough pressure that is applicable for the said level. Adding
more pressure may result to change in the outcome/output of the
students. Pressure boosts the performance of the students. Students
who tend to choke while being pressured has an outcome that is
undesirable.
The school administration can read and imply this research, it may
help them to understand how children learn and they can determine
different pressures that help and affect students learning. They can
implement different teaching skills to their school that help students in
learning.
32

This study also recommended to the parents, they can read this
study in order for them to help their children learn, adjust and cope up
in different pressure that serves as hindrance in their childs learning.
By helping their children, learning process is much easier to children.
On the other hand, students who are at ease tend to be relaxed
while answering challenges. Some of the students who are at ease are
still able to answer the challenges correctly. The results are also
relative to the individual personality of the students.

33

APPENDIX A
Letter of Permission

APPENDIX B
34

Pearson - R Correlation Coefficient

Table 6: Computation of value of Pearson-r correlation coefficient
x
4.85
4.55
6.48
6.58
5.50
5.23
6.32
6.54
5.30
5.22
4.06
2.25
5.26
5.14
5.40
5.01
5.30
4.43
5.20
6.15
4.30
6.30
5.50
5.49
6.43
5.04
4.44
4.40
5.18
4.39
4.55
5.05
6.33
5.42
4.31
4.43
6.42

y
8
8
8
6
6
6
6
6
4
6
4
6
6
6
6
6
4
8
6
6
8
8
6
4
4
6
6
6
4
8
6
6
4
6
8
6
8

x2
38.8
36.4
51.84
39.48
33.00
31.38
37.92
39.24
21.20
31.32
16.24
13.50
31.56
30.84
32.40
30.06
21.20
35.44
31.20
36.90
34.40
20.40
33.00
21.96
25.72
30.24
26.64
26.40
20.72
35.12
27.30
30.30
25.32
32.52
34.48
26.58
51.36

y2
23.5225
20.7025
46.7856
43.2964
30.2500
27.3529
39.9424
42.7716
28.0900
27.2484
16.4836
5.0625
27.6676
26.4196
29.1600
25.1001
28.0900
19.6249
27.0400
37.8225
18.4900
39.6900
30.2500
30.1401
41.3449
25.4016
19.7136
19.3600
26.8324
19.2721
20.7025
25.5025
40.0689
29.3764
18.5761
19.6249
41.2164

xy
64
64
64
36
36
36
36
36
16
36
16
36
36
36
36
36
16
64
36
36
64
64
36
16
16
36
36
36
16
64
36
36
16
36
64
36
64
35

6.42
8
5.23
8
5.13
8
5.58
8
6.03
6
5.08
6
4.52
4
5.00
6
6.45
6
4.07
8
4.48
4
5.19
6
5.35
6
x=261 . 28 y =304

38.52
31.32
30.78
44.64
36.18
30.48
18.08
30.00
38.70
32.56
17.92
31.14
32.10
x 2=1405 . 4122

41.2164
27.3529
26.3169
31.1364
36.3609
25.8064
20.4304
25.0000
41.6025
16.5649
20.0704
26.9361
28.6225
y 2=1928

64
64
64
64
36
36
16
36
36
64
16
36
36
xy=1554 . 80

x2

n

n

n xy( x)( y)
r=

r=

50(1554.80)(261.28)(304 )

[ 50 (1405.4122 ) (261.28) ][ 50 ( 1928 ) (304) ]

2

r=

7774079429.12
( 70270.6168267.2384 ) ( 9640092416 )

r=

1689.12
( 2003.3716 ) ( 3984 )

r=

1689.12
7981432.454

r=

1689.12
2825.142909

36

r=0.597888338
r 0. 60

T-test Comparing 2 Sample Means

Table 7: Scores in the written exam and the needed value on the t-test
comparing to sample mean
PRESSURE
8
8
8
6
6
6
6
6
4
6
4
6
6
6
6
6
4
8
6
6
8
8
6
4
4
x 1=6 . 08
s 1=1 .275
t=
t=

EASE
6
6
6
4
8
6
6
4
6
8
6
8
8
8
8
8
6
6
4
6
6
8
4
6
6

6
4
6
4
4
4
4
6
6
4
6
4
4
6
4
4
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
6
4
x 2=5 .12
s 2=1 .15

6
6
4
4
6
4
4
6
4
4
4
8
6
6
6
4
8
6
4
6
4
6
4
4
6

( x1 x2 ) ( n)

+ s 22
( 6.085.12 ) ( 50)
1

(1.275)2 +(1.15)2
37

1.625625+(1.3225)

( 0.96 ) (7.071067812)
t=

t=

6.788225099
2.948125

t=

6.788225099
1.717010483

t=3.953514067
t 3.95

Significance of Correlation Coefficient

Table 8 values needed for significant of correlation coefficient
r
n
t=r

0.60
50

n2
1r 2

t=0.60

502
1(0.60)2

t=0.60

48
10.36

t=0.60

48
0.64

t=0.60

48
10.36

t=0.60 75

38

t=0.60 ( 8.660254038 )
t=5.196152423
t 5.20

APPENDIX C
A. Reading Comprehension (Paper Wings)
It was a warm June evening in the Catskill Mountains. The birds were
welcoming the twilight with their bubbling songs, and the sky was
growing dimmer with each passing moment. It was the perfect night for
life to begin. It was the perfect night for something magical to happen.
On a crooked twig, high in the canopy of a grand old sugar maple,
hundreds of tiny, newborn caterpillars squirmed and squished from their
sticky eggs and scrambled wet, blind, and scared into their new,
uncertain world.
It is times like these for which the woodland birds wait. Robin and Blue
Jay noticed a great white feast moving along the crooked twig. It was
feeding time! But amidst the wind of frantic wings, the snapping of
furious beaks, and the cries of many hungry baby birds, one caterpillar
kept inching his way on the twig.

39

Caterpillar could feel the feathered hunters upon him . . . next to him,
behind him, and above him. He could feel them coming and going in
great numbers. He couldnt see what was happening; his eyes were
much too weak. He only knew to keep inching. He knew not to stop.
As he inched and inched, Caterpillar noticed he was no longer on the
surface of the twig. He had made it to a leaf! He inched his way to the
leafs underside, where no bird would see his juicy body. He was very
tired. After all, it was his first day. Hed already had to inch for his life.
Caterpillar fell into a great slumber. He dreamt of floating through the
air on pretty, delicate wings above the sunflowers and dandelions.
When Caterpillar awoke, his world was entirely different. Brilliant light
filled his six sensitive eyes. For the first time, he realized he was
hungry. He began to chew on the leaf that he was on. When he was
done, he chewed on more and more leaves. He chewed on leaves all
through the day and all through the night. For many days and nights, all
caterpillar did was chew on leaves.
Even when it rained, Caterpillar kept chewing. He grew bigger and
bigger.In a few weeks, he no longer had to hide from the woodland
birds. His body grew bristles, which helped him to blend in with the
surrounding branches. It was a happy life of chewing for Caterpillar.
Although chewing on leaves was very satisfying for Caterpillar, he
began to feel funny. He didnt know how, or even what felt different, but
he just felt too big. His whole body began to ache. To his surprise, at
the height of his pain, his skin split in half and peeled right off. In fact, it
sat in a crumpled ball next to him. What a relief! Since he was still very
hungry, Caterpillar gobbled up his old skin and the rest of the leaf it
was on too.

B. Puzzle

40

C. Problem - Solving
Color Sequence (Boo)

41

Rebus
Puzzle (Idiom)
1. Barya Lang Po Sa Umaga

2. May Pera Sa Basura

3. Ilaw ng Tahanan
42

4. Tengang Kawali

D. Questions
Question 1:
Which is the following is NOT true on paragraph 1
a. It was the morning
b. It was warm outside
c. Birds were singing
d. It was June
Question 2:
What did the Caterpillar do when his skin peeled off?
a.
b.
c.
d.

He ate it
He took it with him to the next leaf
He stared at it
He kicked it off the branch

APPENDIX D
43

PICTURES (DOCUMENTATION)
Pressure Experiment

Ease Experiment

44

45

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47

48