Arousal

Question 1

Arousal

Answer 1

the energised state or the readiness for action that motivates us to behave in a particular way

Question 2

The 3 arousal theories

Answer 2

1. Drive theory
2. Inverted U theory
3. Catastrophe theory

Question 3

The drive theory

Answer 3

• demonstrates a linear relationship between performance and arousal
• at low levels of arousal, performance is low
• performance increases inline with arousal

Question 4

Key points of drive theory

Answer 4

• quality of performance depends on how well the skill has been learnt
• motor programmes that have already been learnt are said to be the dominant response
• dominant response most likely to emerge when a performer experiences increased arousal
• Hull predicated that as arousal increases in a competitive situation the greater the likelihood of the dominant response occurring
• behaviour = habit x drive (arousal)

Question 5

Drive theory practice application

Answer 5

• high arousal would be beneficial for autonomous stage performers because their dominant behaviour would tend to produce a response which is fluent and technically correct
• the opposite would be true for a novice learner
• high arousal helps the performance of gross and simple skills

Question 6

The inverted U theory

Answer 6

• arousal improves performance up to an optimal point
• past this point, performance begins to decrease
• the conditions of both under and over arousal severely limit the capacity to learn skills and perform to potential

Question 7

Key points of the inverted U theory

Answer 7

it is important to consider:

1. Personality - extroverts learn best under conditions of high arousal, introverts under the conditions of low arousal
2. Type of task - gross, simple and closed = high arousal. Fine, complex and open = low arousal
3. Stage of learning - cognitive/associative = low arousal. Autonomous = high arousal
4. Level of experience - experience = high arousal. Novice = low arousal

Question 8

Affect of under, optimal and over arousal

Answer 8

1. Under-arousal

• concentration lost because attentional field is too wide
• many unwanted cutes in the environment

2. Optimal arousal

• perfect state
• attention field is ideal width

3. Over-arousal

• causes attentional field to narrow

Performer is often in a state of panic

Question 9

Catastrophe theory

Answer 9

• claims as somatic arousal increases, the quality of performance improves
• performance will reach maximum potential at the optimum level only if cognitive (in the mind) arousal anxiety is kept low
• if high cognitive anxiety coincides with high somatic anxiety, the athlete will go beyond the optimum level of arousal
• this will cause an extreme decline in performance

Question 10

Key points of the catastrophe theory

Answer 10

• the drop isn’t on a smooth curve like the inverted U theory, it plummets vertically
• after a catastrophe, the performer can re-join the upward curve of arousal
• this return requires the athlete to reduce cognitive anxiety
• when somatic arousal is low, skill learning and performance can be enhanced if cognitive arousal is increased
• low levels of physiological and psychological arousal coverage = serious debilitation in learning + performance