Arousal

Question 1

Define arousal

Answer 1

The state of general preparedness of the body for action, involving physiological and psychological factors

Question 2

What are the physiological signs of arousal?

Answer 2

• Increased heart rate
• Increased breathing rate
• Sweating
• Feeling sick
• Butterflies in stomach
• Increased muscle tension

Question 3

What are the psychological signs of arousal?

Answer 3

• Increased focus and concentration
• Decreased reaction time
• Anxiety

Question 4

Drive theory

Answer 4

• Linear relationship between arousal and performance
• As arousal increases, so does the quality of performance
• Suggested that the high levels of arousal would intensify the dominant response
• The dominant response is the likely response. For an expert, the dominant response is likely to be habitual and correct and so performance would be improved. For a beginner, the dominant response may be incorrect and so a higher level of arousal may cause deterioration in performance

Question 5

Inverted U theory

Answer 5

• As arousal increases, performance will increase up to an optimal point
• After this point, as arousal increases, performance will decrease
• Optimal point is at moderate arousal
• This optimal level varies between experts and beginners, type of skill, type of personality and performance situation

Question 6

Explain the factors that effect the optimal level of arousal

Answer 6

• A beginner needs to give a greater proportion of their attention to the performance of the skill. Increased levels of arousal will take a beginner’s attention away from the skill
• Performers engaged in cross skills benefit from high levels of arousal than fine skills
• extroverts perform better with higher levels of arousal than introverts

Question 7

What is the zone of optimal functioning?

Answer 7

The area between the upper and lower limits of arousal where a performer is sufficiently aroused to perform their best

Question 8

What are the characteristics of the zone of optimal functioning?

Answer 8

• Clear goals
• Optimal arousal
• High levels of self confidence
• Highly focused

Question 9

Catastrophe theory

Answer 9

• Instead of performance gradually decreasing, it quickly and dramatically reduces once a certain level of arousal has been reached
• Proposes that performance is affected by the relationship between somatic and cognitive anxiety