Arousal, Stress & Anxiety

Question 1

Arousal

Answer 1

A blend of physiological and psychological activity in a person (Measured on a continuum)

Question 2

Anxiety

Answer 2

A negative emotional state - nervousness, worry, apprehension associated with the activation/arousal of the body

Question 3

State anxiety

Answer 3

Ever-changing mood component, the level of anxiety experienced moment to moment

Question 4

Cognitive state anxiety

Answer 4

Level of worry/negative thoughts

Question 5

Somatic state anxiety

Answer 5

Perceived physiological activation (Sweating, butterflies ect)

Question 6

Perceived control (SA)

Answer 6

The degree the individual feels they have to ability/resources to meet the challenges they face

Question 7

Trait anxiety

Answer 7

Part of personality, a stable characteristics - generally viewing the world as threatening leading too frequent state anxiety

Question 8

Trait-State link

Answer 8

More likely to show the state if you have the trait

Question 9

Measuring arousal & anxiety

Answer 9

Physiological signs - HR, respiration, skin conductance

Global & multidimensional self report measures - SCAT, CSAI-2

Question 10

Stress

Answer 10

A substantial imbalance between demand and response capability, where failure to meet demands results in consequences

Question 11

4 stages of stress

Answer 11

1. Environmental demand - demand place on the individual
2. Perception of demand - how the individual perceives this demand
3. Stress response - individuals physical & psychological responses to the situation
4. Behavioural consequences - the resultant behaviour
   (Final stage then link back to the first completing the cycle)

Question 12

Identifying sources of stress & arousal

Answer 12

life changing events and daily hassles both cause stress

within sport: performance worries, team selection, pressure, ect

Question 13

Situational stress sources

Answer 13

Event importance - ^ Important = ^ Stress (eg Cup final or being scouted)

Uncertainty - ^ Uncertainty = ^ Stress (eg 2 evenly matched teams playing)

Question 14

Personal sources of stress

Answer 14

Trait anxiety - personality factor predisposing a persons views of situations
Self-esteem - related too perceptions of threat & corresponding changes in state anxiety
Social physique anxiety - (example)

Question 15

Connecting arousal & anxiety to performance

Answer 15

The relationship can be positive and negative but definitive conclusions haven’t been reached despite the many theories

Question 16

Drive theory

Answer 16

Arousal - Performance link linear, the dominant responses ties in with social facilitation and the complexity of the task
easy well-learned tasks = ^Perf
difficult not learned tasks = ↓Perf

Question 17

Inverted ‘U’ theory

Answer 17

Builds upon drive theory
Low arousal = ↓Perf
Middle arousal = ^Perf (optimal)
High arousal = ↓Perf

Question 18

Individualized zones of optimal functioning (IZOF)

Answer 18

Individual athletes have an optimal zone of state anxiety - zone is not always in the middle of continuum & the ZOF is a broad area that should be identified and replicated by coaches
low ZOF - Golf putt
high ZOF - Rugby tackle

Question 19

Multidimensional anxiety theory

Answer 19

• Cognitive anxiety is negatively related to Perf
• Somatic anxiety links in an inverted ‘U’
  Has little support as cognitive anxiety is not always negative it depends upon perception

Question 20

Catastrophe phenomenon theory

Answer 20

• Inverted ‘U’ with catastrophic Perf drop rather than gradual (Over arousal), recovery is possible however arousal is reset
• ↓worry, ^arousal = Inverted ‘U’
• ^worry , ^arousal = Catastrophe graph (^self confidence allows tolerance of higher arousal)
• Difficult to scientifically test - main takeaway = physiological arousal isn’t enough for optimal performance cognitive anxiety must be managed to

Question 21

Reversal theory

Answer 21

• How arousal effects is dependant on the individuals interpretation of their arousal
• Positive or negative (interpretation constantly changes)
• For best Perf the interpretation must be ‘Pleasant excitement’

Question 22

Anxiety direction & intensity theory (Jones 1995 model)

Answer 22

• Must understand intensity of persons anxiety and its direction (interpretation) to find the anxiety-perf link
• A individuals perception how how much they can control the stressors dictates if the anxiety will be viewed as facilitative or debilitative

Question 23

How arousal influences performance

Answer 23

1. ^Muscle tension, fatigue & coordination difficulties

2. Changes in attention, concentration, visual search patterns

Question 24

Attention, concentration & coordination difficulties

Answer 24

• ^Arousal narrows a performers attentional field.
• Optimal attentional field (moderate arousal) = ^Perf
• Attentional field too broad (low arousal) = Distracted
• Attentional field too narrow (high arousal) = Miss some relevant ques