arousal, stress and anxiety in sport

Question 1

arousal

Answer 1

a level of physiological and psychological activation

Question 2

phyaiological component of arousal

Answer 2

increases or decreases the bodys level of activation (high HR and BP, trembling and muscle tension)

Question 3

psychological componenet of arousal

Answer 3

either positive feelings such as excitement/ confidence, or negative feelings such as fear/sadness or discomfort/.

Question 4

does anxiety = arousal

Answer 4

no

Question 5

anxiety =

Answer 5

High arousal states that produce feelings of discomfort & concern. a perceived threat.

Question 6

stress =

Answer 6

a perceived imbalance between the demand and our capabilities. in an environment where failure to meet damands has consequences.

Question 7

what can stress lead to

Answer 7

state anxiety

Question 8

State Anxiety:

Answer 8

A current emotional state or mood characterised by feelings of apprehension and muscle tension and associated with negative affect

Question 9

competitive trait anxiety =

Answer 9

A predisposition to perceive competitive sport as threatening and to respond to this perceived threat with varying levels of state anxiety.

Question 10

what are the subcomponents of state anxiety

Answer 10

cognitive (thoughts and emotions) and somatic (physical/pyhsyological)

Question 11

what is the relationship between trait and state anxiety

Answer 11

not a direct one to one relationship. correlations are moderate.

Question 12

four stages of the stress process

Answer 12

Stage 1: Environmental Demand
Stage 2: Perception of Demands
Stage 3: Stress Response
Stage 4: Behavioural Consequences

Question 13

two types of sources of stress

Answer 13

situational and personal

Question 14

situational source stress

Answer 14

the amount of imporatnce placed on the outcome. the uncertainty of the outcome, capabilites and relationship with others.

Question 15

personal sources of stress

Answer 15

trait - predisposition to perceive competition and social evaluation as more or less threatening.
self-esteem.

Question 16

three theories of arousal-performance relationship

Answer 16

drive theory, inverted u theory and castastrophy theory

Question 17

what is the drive theory

Answer 17

there is a linear relationship between performance and arousal.

Question 18

drive theory predictions

Answer 18

increased arousal - increased probability of a dominant response.

Question 19

inverted U theory

Answer 19

performance will increase in proportion to increases in arousal up to a certain point. Beyond this optimal level, performance will begin to decrease.

Question 20

for inveted u thoery under arousal leads to …

Answer 20

lack of focus and low motivation

Question 21

for inveted u thoery over arousal leads to …

Answer 21

anxiety and impaired performance.

Question 22

do all sports have the same optimal level of arousal

Answer 22

no, golf requires less arousal when compared to sprinting.

Question 23

Catastrophe Theory

Answer 23

Multidimensional Arousal & Anxiety (different kinds).Increase in physiological arousal leads to increased performance up to a certain optimal point.
After this point is reached, the person perceives an imbalance between demands and capabilities (i.e., stress), which leads to cognitive anxiety and performance suddenly drops (i.e., ‘choking’)

Question 24

how somatic effects influence performance

Answer 24

Decreased coordination - tight, jerky movements.
(ii) “Paralysis by Analysis” - need to relax mind and body.

Question 25

how cognitive effects influence performance

Answer 25

(i) Negative thoughts - worry about failure.
(ii) Lose confidence.
(iii) Attention and focus shift - ‘tunnel vision’:
Focus of attention becomes too narrow, and important information is missed.