Arousal (Inverted U and Catastrophe theory)

Question 1

What is the inverted U theory?

Answer 1

• Believes that performance improves to an optimal point, tends to be at moderate levels of arousal.
• Further increase in arousal can lead to a deterioration of performance.
• Therefore, both being under aroused and over aroused can be equally as bad for performance.

Question 2

Factors affecting optimum levels of arousal

Answer 2

1. Experience
2. Personality
3. The task

Question 3

Experience

Answer 3

Cognitive
- Don’t work well under pressure.
- Dominant response is likely to be wrong.
- Needs to operate at lower levels of arousal.

Autonomous
- Used to dealing with pressure.
- Dominant response is usually correct.
- High levels of performance at high levels of arousal.

Question 4

Personality

Answer 4

Extrovert:
- Operate at much higher levels of arousal to get best performance.
- Have naturally low levels of activation and can tolerate any increases in arousal.

Introvert:
- Operate at much lower levels of arousal for best performance
- Have naturally high levels of adrenaline- therefore work better at lower levels of arousal.

Question 5

Task (Gross/ fine)

Answer 5

Gross:
- Large muscle groups
- Can be performed at high levels of arousal.
- No need for precise control.

Fine:
- Smaller muscle groups.
- Focus on precision and control will be better performed at lower levels of arousal.

Question 6

Task (Simple/ Complex)

Answer 6

Simple:
- Requires less decision making and therefore can be executed at high levels of arousal.
- Habitual and repetitive.

Complex:
- Involves decision making and the ability to process large amounts of information at once.
- Work at lower levels of arousal to execute the skill.

Question 7

Catastrophe theory

Answer 7

• Adaptation of the inverted U theory.
• Increased arousal causes performance to peak at a optimum level
  BUT….
• Rather than gradual deterioration there is a sudden dramatic reduction in performance.

Question 8

Catastrophe theory explained….

Answer 8

1. Causes high levels of somatic and cognitive anxiety.
2. The player will try to regain control by reducing the anxiety and arousal (stress management techniques).
   BUT….
   - Only if the initial cause of the anxiety is mild and the performer has time to recover.
3. More often than not, the performer fails to control their arousal and then starts to panic causing a further increase in arousal therefore causing a further reduction in performance.