For too long, the results of tests of international competition have been the sole basis for ranking a country's schools. But these closely watched tests fail to provide a complete picture. The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) serves as a case in point.

Although Japan 's 15-year-olds scored high in science and math against their peers from around the world, they ranked 42nd among 47 participating countries or regions in "students' satisfaction with life." On a scale of zero to 10, they placed 6.8, which was below the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average of 7.3.

Putting aside for a moment that attitudes are influenced by cultural differences and that the term "satisfaction with life" itself is ambiguous, researchers should not dismiss out of hand these non-cognitive results because of their long-term effect on young people. The more likely cause in Japan is anxiety as a result of unrelenting pressure to excel and persistent bullying.