Arousal and Performance (Chpt. 5)

Question 1

Arousal (Woodworth, 1918 & Hull, 1940)

Answer 1

is the activation of the brain (Reticular Activating system) RAS and the body (Autonomic nervous system) ANS

Arousal’ mainly means cortical arousal.
Most arousal theories are about ‘humans in general’ (not related to individual differences).
But introverts are cortically aroused’ more easily than extraverts.

Question 2

Cortical arousal

Answer 2

Visual, Auditory, and Tactile sensory receptors

involves the activation of various brain systems often in combination with other systems as the task demands. The autonomic nervous system arouses the body again directing blood to those parts of the body again directing blood to those parts of the body that demand greater energy

Cortical activity, is caused by the hypothalamus, which triggers two parallel and complementary reactions. It stimulates activity in the autonomic nervous system and in the endocrine glandular system systematic nervous system a division of the autonomic nervous system

Question 3

Fuster, 1958 Monkey study

Answer 3

Rhesus monkeys were required to learn to discriminate between 2 objects to learn which object had a food reward hidden under it when the objects were presented for a fraction of a second at a time. Speed and coordination of reactions under higher levels of arousal.

Question 4

Electroencephalograms

Answer 4

The brain is composed of many interconnecting nerve pathways. Electrical impulses generated by chemical processes travel along these pathways. The electroencephalograph was designed to amplify these impulses so that permanent record could be made of the activity of various brain structures

Question 5

Prefrontal cortex

Answer 5

executive function of the brain in goal oriented behavior

Question 6

Optimal Stimulation Theory

Answer 6

individuals with high baseline levels of arousal should prefer lower levels of stimulation or lower levels of complexity whereas individuals with low baseline levels of arousal should prefer higher levels of incoming stimulation or higher levels of complexity

The most pleasant arousal is moderate. Does not explain Y-D law but maybe explained b Y-D law

Question 7

Telic goals/ Reversal theory

Answer 7

They plan their activities carefully and tend to complete them to receive satisfaction that comes from achieving a goal.

Telic state serious minded, businesslike.
Paratelic state: playful, ‘having fun,’ sports.
Paratelic: High arousal is pleasant.

Pleasant ‘high arousal’ of paratelic state is the exact opposite of what ‘drive theory’ would predict.
Relaxation vs. Excitement (Paratelic)
Boredom vs. Anxiety (Paratelic)

Question 8

Paratelic goals

Answer 8

They are inclined to prolong activities as long as they are producing high levels of pleasure

Question 9

Relaxation

Answer 9

when we are in the achievement state, low arousal can be pleasant we call it relaxation

Question 10

Pleasure seeking state

Answer 10

we call the same low level of arousal boredom. Similarly, high arousal can be very unpleasant (anxiety) in the achievement state and very pleasant (excitement) in the pleasure seeking state.

Question 11

Negative Activation

Answer 11

avoidance system to keep organisms out of trouble it does this by inhibiting behaviors that might lead to pain, punishment, or some other negative consequence

Question 12

Positive Activation

Answer 12

system is an approach system its function is to direct individuals to situations and experiences that could offer pleasure and reward

Question 13

Trait arousal

Answer 13

characterizes the individual more or less independently of the situation or across situations

Question 14

State arousal

Answer 14

arises out of the individual’s interaction with the environment

Question 15

Brain arousal

Answer 15

Neocortex brain’s main decision maker the word cortex is from bark of tree means surrounding layer of brain. The RAS is sensitive to sensory info and can also be activated by non sensory brain sources

Question 16

Body arousal

Answer 16

Body arousal.
Hypothalamus (‘king of glands’) activates:
autonomic nervous system (ANS), and
many glands (e.g., adrenal gland).
The ‘arousal’ part of the ANS is the ‘sympathetic nervous system (SNS).
The other main part of the ANS is the parasympathetic NS’ (PNS).
The PNS ‘cools down’ the body, after SNS arousal is no longer needed.

Question 17

Arousal theories

Answer 17

Low arousal is better for hard tasks (e.g., taking a test),
but high arousal is better for easy tasks (e.g., skipping rope).

Moderate arousal is better than low or high level arousal

Question 18

Easterbrook Theories 1959

Answer 18

Spotlight model R=task relevant info and ir= task relevant info attention focuses in to center circle in high arousal. Easterbrook explains the Yerkes-Dodson (Y-D) Law

Question 19

Revelle (1984) Y-D Law

Answer 19

Easy task = well learned S-R activity.
Hard task = Conscious ‘controlled’ activity; limit: small working memory.’

As tasks become harder, arousal impairs working memory (WM).
Impaired WM is like Easterbrook’s ‘smaller focus.’

Question 20

Flow in the zone state

Answer 20

‘Flow’: The ‘in the zone’ state.
When we do skilled activity that we are good at, we can ‘lose track of time’ and the task can ‘just flow.’
Csikszentmihalyi (1975) called this the ‘flow’ state.
Flow’ can be seen when a basketball star gets ‘in the zone’ and starts sinking every basket.
We have all experienced flow.

The three requirements of flow: A task which has
a clear-cut goal,
fast, accurate feedback on progress towards the goal, and
a level of challenge at the ‘high end’ of–but not beyond a person’s skills.