arousal Flashcards
what is arousal
an energised state, a readiness to perform
when is it present
before, during, after sport in varying levels
what does the correct level of arousal do
pushes you to peak performance
what does too much arousal do
what does too little arousal do
what is the drive theory
- initial motivation, causes increased drive, more effort, more success and repetition of the same response
- increases in linear fashion
P= f (D x H)
performance = habit strength x drive - the more an elite sports person is aroused, the better their performance due to dominant response being chosen is habitual
- more a beginner is aroused, dominant response may be incorrect= deterioration in performance
what is the dominant response
at high arousal we pick up less info and focus on dominant response
- if task is simple or performer is an expert= correct response
- if task is complex or performer is novice = impaired performance
what is the zone of optimal functioning
area of controlled arousal and high performance
what is the inverted u theory
links arousal and performance by stating that increased arousal improves performance to an optimal point at moderate levels of arousal
what does increased arousal do
improves performance but only to a moderate level, after which more arousal causes performance to suffer
what does under and over arousal do
bad for performance
what else has an affect on arousal
skill level, personality, task undertaken
is moderate arousal good
not always
low arousal
personality - introverts perform best because they already have high adrenaline levels
experience - novice performs best because they need to concentrate on lots of info, uncomfortable under pressure, incorrect dominant response
type of task - fine and complex skills are performed best because they require control and decision making
high arousal
personality - extroverts can tolerate extra adrenaline
experience - experts are used to pressure & can operate on limited info, dominant response is mainly correct
type of task - gross and simple skills are performed best because they need less control and decision making
problems with the inverted you theory
- optimum arousal doesn’t always occur at the midpoint
- one curve does not explain the different optimal levels of arousal needed for simple and complex tasks
catastrophe theory
- increased arousal improves performance to an optimal point but there is a dramatic reduction in performance when arousal increases beyond the optimal
- adaption to the inverted u theory
- increased arousal improves performance to a point but an intense combination of somatic (muscular tension, increased hr) and cognitive (loss of concentration, fear about performance)= anxiety causes a dramatic deterioration in performance
- player can only recover if initial anxiety is low and there is time available
- player may not recover
impact of under arousal in sport
-poor selective attention
- lack of concentration
- social loafing
- ringelman effect
- poor reaction time
- attentional wastage
- attentional narrowing
- failed to reach zone of optimal functioning
impact of over arousal in sport
- poor selective attention
- lack of concentration
- slower reaction time
- attentional wastage
- attentional narrowing
- failed to reach zone of optimal functioning
- violence
- break rules
what is attentional wastage
performers concentration is misdirected to irrelevant cues. can damage performance especially in novices
what is attentional narrowing
when a performer is aroused so they focus on certain cues and ignore others. linked to dominant response
what is social loafing
individual loss of motivation in a team player due to a lack of performance identification when efforts aren’t recognised
what is the ringelman effect
when a team performance decreases with group size
when do athletes perform best
not at a point but in an area that is reached by advanced cognitive techniques such as imagery and visualisation- adapted version of the inverted u
what would the area/zone feel like
- things flow effortlessly
- state of supreme confidence
- remains calm under pressure
- athlete feels that they are in total control of their actions
- total focus
what is peak flow performance
ultimate intrinsic experience felt by athletes from a positive mental attitude, with supreme confidence, focus and efficiency
- occurs when timing, action and motion appear to be perfect
- characterised by feelings of subconscious control and effortless movement
- promoted by positive values of high confidence, positive mental attitude, control and relaxedness
what are some factors that affect peak flow
- poor mental preparation and the failure to reach optimal arousal levels
- environmental influences- crowd pressure
- injury or fatigue
what does peak flow performance feel like
- highly focused on the task
- movement or skill feels effortless
- clear goals
- high levels of confidence
- sub-conscious feelings of control
