Brief Pre-Exam Activities, Neural Activation, and Second-Language Test Performance: An fNIRS Study of Meditation, Music, and Social Media

Background/Objectives: Test anxiety can impair working memory, attention, and executive function, raising questions about what might increase cognitive readiness prior to testing.

Methods: This study examined how brief meditation, social media use, and calming or upbeat music influence neural activity and performance on a second-language exam using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Results: Forty-five advanced German students completed two matched exams—one preceded by a randomly assigned three-minute activity and one taken without a pre-test activity. fNIRS measured cortical activity in the prefrontal cortex, Broca’s area, and Wernicke’s area during both the pre-test activity and the exam. Behaviorally, meditation significantly improved exam scores compared to control (p < 0.02), social media use significantly reduced scores (p < 0.002), calming music showed no effect (p = 0.06), and upbeat music had no effect (p = 0.27). Neural analyses revealed that social media increased activation in socially oriented prefrontal regions, including the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), while reducing activation in right Broca’s area, corresponding with lower performance. Due to technical issues, fNIRS data during the meditation condition were excluded from neural analyses.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that short pre-exam interventions can influence neural engagement and academic performance, highlighting the potential benefits of meditation and the possible negative impact of social media immediately before testing.