Arousal and anxiety - paper 3 (sport)

Question 1

Arousal

Answer 1

A state of alertness and anticipation that prepares the body for action
Physiological arousal - ie increased heart rate
Psychological arousal - ie increased attention

Question 2

Anxiety

Answer 2

Feelings of fear and apprehension caused because a situation is seen as threatening

Question 3

Drive theory

Answer 3

If the task is simple and the dominant response is the correct one, then higher arousal levels will be associated with higher levels of performance

Question 4

Inverted U theory

Answer 4

Yerkes and Dodson
For every task there is an optimum level of arousal, up to which performance improves and peaks at
Past this point performance levels decrease

Question 5

Controlling anxiety

Answer 5

Effects of anxiety/stress spiral
Effects of trait/state anxiety
Techniques for reducing anxiety - breathing/relaxation methods

Question 6

State/trait anxiety

Answer 6

Trait - when anxiety is a trait of someone’s, and permeates their life regularly
State - when anxiety is induced by a situation

Question 7

Somatic/cognitive anxiety

Answer 7

Somatic - physical manifestation of anxiety - ie sweating, increased heart rate
Cognitive - mental manifestation of anxiety ie negative thoughts

Question 8

Measuring anxiety

Answer 8

Physiological measures - monitoring heart/breathing rate, sweating, muscle response, hormone/steroid levels
Observation of behaviour and performance
Self report ie Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) or CSAI-2