Arousal

Question 1

Explain why performers may have different levels of arousal

Answer 1

• Inverted U theory suggests that as arousal increases, performance increases until optimal arousal is reached at moderate arousal.
• Stage of learning
• Type of skill
• Personality

Question 2

Discuss the effects evaluation apprehension may have on performance

Answer 2

• Evaluation apprehension is a sense of anxiety caused by the fear of people judging your performance. This increases arousal which makes the person’s dominant response more likely
• Leads to social facilitation or social inhibition

Question 3

What is social facilitation?

Answer 3

-Social facilitation= When the skill is easy of the performer is an expert, their initial arousal levels are low. Therefore an increase in arousal will improve performance as their dominant response is likely to be correct

Question 4

What is social inhibition?

Answer 4

Social inhibition= When the skill is hard of the performer is a beginner, their initial levels of arousal is high and their dominant response is likely to be in correct. Therefore an increase in arousal is likely to deteriorate as it will go beyond their optimal level

Question 5

Identify 3 characteristics of the peak flow experience

Answer 5

• High levels of confidence
• Very focused
• Clear goals

Question 6

Using the catastrophe theory, describe how over arousal may affect a player’s performance

Answer 6

• Theory explains that perormance dramatically reduces once a certain level of arousal has been reached
• Explains that optimal performance is when cognitive anxiety is low and somatic anxiety is at moderate levels
• After this sudden decrease in performance, performer tries to regain control by decreasing arousal
• Possible for performance to continute to decrease