Final answer:
Research indicates that increased anxiety corresponds to poorer academic performance. While moderate stress can enhance performance, severe anxiety leads to decreased concentration and lower test scores.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Daniel Goleman's research on anxiety and academic performance, the effect that anxiety has on academic performance is that the higher the worry or anxiety, the poorer the academic performance. This is based on the understanding of stress impacting performance in a predictable manner, as conceptualized in the Yerkes-Dodson law. Mild stress or eustress can enhance performance by making individuals energized, focused, and able to work with minimal effort and high efficiency. However, beyond an optimal level, stress becomes excessive, or distress, and has a detrimental effect on the individual's capabilities. Excessive anxiety, such as severe test anxiety, can be paralyzing and negatively affect concentration and test scores, leading to a decline in academic performance.