arousal

Question 1

arousal

Answer 1

• the level of excitement and psychological and physiological readiness a person feels
• e.g before during and after an event.

Question 2

physiological

Answer 2

somatic arousal e.g increased heart rate

Question 3

psychological

Answer 3

cognitive anxiety e.g worry felt before a big event

Question 4

drive theory

Answer 4

as arousal increases, the performance of the dominant response increases linearly

Question 5

catastrophe theory

Answer 5

• as arousal increases so does performance up to an optimum point
• if arousal continues to increase the performer loses concentration and has a sharp decline in performance,
• if anxiety is controlled they can rejoin the curve

Question 6

inverted u theory

Answer 6

• as arousal increases, performance increases to the optimum point,
• if arousal continues to increase performance gradually decreases

Question 7

peak flow experience

Answer 7

• used by elite athletes to achieve optimum performance
• being ‘in the zone’
• main focus is performing

Question 8

reticular activating system (RAS)

Answer 8

• located in the central core of the brainstem, maintains arousal
• can enhance or inhibit incoming sensory stimuli

Question 9

drive theory strengths

Answer 9

• explains why athletes perform at high levels at high arousal
  -dominant response is more likely to be correct and can cope with high levels of arousal
  -Explains high-performance in the gross or explosive skills
• Health teachers and coaching both elite and novices

Question 10

drive theory, weakness

Answer 10

• Isn’t applicable to novices their dominant response is likely to be wrong
• doesn’t take into account nature of task or individual differences.
• Doesn’t explain decline at high arousal
• doesn’t explain how performers can produce high performance at low arousal

Question 11

inverted u theory strengths

Answer 11

• takes into account task and personality - recognises optimum levels are not the same for all
• state depends on task type e.g. complex or fine
• takes into account decline in performance at high arousal.

Question 12

inverted u weaknesses

Answer 12

• increase or decline in performance, says it smooth or steady
• doesn’t explain sudden drop
• only considers somatic arousal

Question 13

Catastrophe theory strength

Answer 13

• more realistic than others,
• explains why performers suddenly drop
• takes into account, cognitive anxiety and somatic arousal
  -Explains how some performers can recover arousal as they rejoin the curve

Question 14

catastrophe theory weaknesses

Answer 14

• Some performance never experience a sudden decline/drop in performance,
• not proven theory