A student can understand a difficult chapter, explain it brilliantly to friends and perform well during practice sessions, and then suddenly struggle when the actual exam begins. The answer they knew the night before seems to disappear, their heart starts racing and even simple questions can feel unexpectedly difficult.
Psychology says this does not necessarily mean the student lacks intelligence. The difference between knowing something and successfully demonstrating that knowledge under pressure can involve anxiety, attention, confidence and the way the brain responds to evaluation.
