A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Educational Psychology at the UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND, South Africa, 1998. / This study investigated the relationship between anxiety and co-operative behaviour, anxiety and gender, gender and co-operative behaviour and anxiety, cooperative behaviour and performance among students in tertiary institutions. The sample consisted of 137 males and 193 females. A standardized IPAT Anxiety Scale was used to achieve the objectives of the first and second aims of the study. The researcher constructed his own Co-operative Behaviour Scale to achieve the objectives of aim four. Research assistants helped with the construction of the Academic Performance Scale. The findings according to the first aim of the study, that is, the relationship between anxiety and co-operative behaviour revealed that there is a weak positive relationship between anxiety and cooperative behaviour. The findings based on aim number two, that is, the relationship between v gender and anxiety showed that while more men appear anxious, more women are willing to co-operate than men. The findings based on aim number three, that is, "the effect of induced anxiety among people, showed that increased anxiety level leads to more co-operative tendencies , up to an optimal point, after which cooperative behaviour decreases as long as anxiety increases. The findings according to the fourth aim of the study, that is, the relationship between anxiety and academic performance, show that poor performers as well as above average performers are less co-operative; whereas average performers are more cooperative. This is due to the effects of either low or high anxiety on academic performance, this is, low or high anxiety levels leads to poor academic performance.