Using Fidget Spinners and Stress Balls Do Not Impact College Introductory Psychology Test Scores

Abstract

Aim: To determine if the use of fidget spinners and stress balls impact college test scores in Introductory Psychology courses.  Study Design:  A between-participants experimental design was used.  Students were randomly assigned into conditions.  Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, USA.  Fall semester. Methodology: 170 college students enrolled in Introductory Psychology courses participated in the study.  Participants were randomly assigned to use a fidget spinner, a stress ball, or sit quietly for 3 minutes before a unit test in their Introductory Psychology course. Results: Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS.  There were no statistically significant differences in test scores between the three groups (P=.28).  The fidget spinner group (M=75.82, SD=13.12), the stress ball group (M=76.41, SD=13.89), and the control group (M=79.33, SD=11.17) scored similarly to each other on the unit test. Conclusion: Using fidget spinners or stress balls do not impact Introductory Psychology test scores.