Arousal

Question 1

What is the definition of arousal?

Answer 1

A degree of physiological and psychological readiness/intensity of drive

Question 2

What is cognitive arousal?

Answer 2

Psychological e.g. selective attention

Question 3

What is somatic arousal?

Answer 3

Physiologically e.g. rise in adrenaline, heart rate, blood pressure

Question 4

What is drive theory?

Answer 4

• as arousal increases so does performance
• it has a positive linear relationship
• due to the dominant response
• increased arousal leads to increased probability of the dominant response
• this is the best learned/grooved response

Question 5

What skill type best suits drive theory?

Answer 5

• simple skills benefit from high arousal
• gross skills benefit from high arousal

Question 6

What type of performer best suits drive theory?

Answer 6

• autonomous performers can deal with high arousal due to their successful dominant response
• cognitive performers require low arousal

Question 7

Advantages and disadvantages of drive theory

Answer 7

+ simple to understand
+ can be applied to some skills
- too simplistic
- doesn’t work for every skill
- doesn’t allow for individual differences

Question 8

What is inverted U theory?

Answer 8

• at lowest levels of arousal, performance is poor because attentional field is too wide/all cues considered
• as arousal increases, performance improves
• performance peaks at an optimal level of arousal this is because selective attention occurs
• as arousal continues to increase, performance drops
• at highest levels of arousal, performance is at its worst
  Optimal level of arousal differs depending on: personality, stage of learning and skill type

Question 9

Advantages and disadvantages of inverted U theory

Answer 9

+ considers skill type, experience and personality
+ considers optimal arousal
+ explains over arousal
- doesn’t consider both types of arousal

Question 10

/What is catastrophe theory

Answer 10

• as somatic arousal increases, performance improves
• peak performance will only occur if cognitive arousal is controlled/optimal
• high cognitive arousal causes a catastrophic/sudden drop in performance
• if (cognitive) arousal continues to rise, performance remains poor/ does not recover
• if cognitive arousal can be controlled/recovered, performance will recover

Question 11

Advantages and disadvantages of catastrophe theory

Answer 11

+ includes both somatic and cognitive arousal
+ shows that performance can recover
+ shows that performance can recover
- the performance drop-off isn’t always catastrophic