Arousal, Anxiety, and Stress in Performance

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to arousal, anxiety, and stress in performance contexts.

Arousal

A blend of physiological and psychological activation that varies in intensity from deep sleep to intense excitement.

Anxiety

A negative emotional state characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, and apprehension associated with bodily activation.

Cognitive Anxiety

Thoughts related to anxiety or feelings of worry.

Somatic Anxiety

The degree of perceived physical activation within the body.

Stress

Occurs when there is an imbalance between physical and psychological demands and an individual's capability to respond.

Life Event Stress

Stress resulting from significant life changes such as a new job or the death of a family member.

Daily Hassles

Minor daily challenges (e.g., commuting issues, work frustrations) with a frequency that can lead to significant stress.

Situational Sources of Stress

Factors related to the importance of an event and uncertainty surrounding it.

Trait Anxiety

A personality characteristic that influences the extent to which a person experiences anxiety.

Stress Inoculation Training

A method for preparing individuals to manage stress through training in perception, response, and behavior.

Drive Theory

A theory suggesting that performance increase linearly with arousal and state anxiety.

Inverted-U Hypothesis

The theory that there is an optimal level of arousal for peak performance.

Individualized Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF)

The concept that each performer has a unique zone of arousal where they perform best.

Catastrophe Model

A theory that suggests if cognitive state anxiety is high and arousal meets a threshold, performance can dramatically suffer.

Facilitative Anxiety

An interpretation of anxiety that enhances performance.

Debilitative Anxiety

An interpretation of anxiety that hinders performance.

Interactional Model of Anxiety

A model that emphasizes how personal and situational factors influence arousal, anxiety, and performance.