The present study and a replication investigated the effects of personality variables on test scores obtained under Answer Every Item (AEI), Do Not Guess (DNG) and Coombs' Type (CT) directions. Subjects were administered a dominance scale and extreme scorers randomly assigned to one of the types of directions, then randomly assigned to complete an anxiety scale either before or after a multiple choice vocabulary test. In the initial study, dominant individuals scored significantly higher than submissive subjects under CT and AEI directions. Low anxious subjects scored significantly higher under DNG and AEI directions, while differences under CT instructions were nonsignificant. Level of anxiety was significantly lower after the vocabulary test under AEI and CT directions, but remained the same under DNG directions. The results were less clear-cut in the replication, but relationships among variables were, for the most part, consistent with the initial study. It appears submissive, anxious individuals operate at a disadvantage in testing situations which allow some freedom in responding. (Author)