PE - Arousal

What is arousal?

Arousal is an energised state, a readiness to perform.

When is arousal experienced by a performer?

Before and during activity / competition

What are the 4 arousal theories?

- Catasrophe Theory

- Drive Theory

- Inverted-U Theory

- The zone of optimal functioning

What does drive theory suggest?

It suggests that as arousal increrases, so does an increased performance due to increased effort.

What does high arousal effect?

Information processing

According to drive theory, if your performance is increasing, what is happening?

You are relying on your dominant response, which suggests you are a autonomous learner because your response is a good response. A cognitive learner would decrease their performance as their dominant response is not a correct one.

What is the drive theory calculation?

P = f (D X H)

Performance = function of drive multiplied by habit

What does the inverted-U theory suggest?

As arousal increases, so does performance, but only up to an optimal point. Any further arousal can cause performance to drop.

What does the inverted-U theory suggest about over-arousal and under-arousal?

They are both equally as bad for performance

What does the catastrophe theory suggest?

As arousal increases, so does the performance until there is a sudden dramatic reduction in performance.

What is the slump in catastrophe theory due to?

A combination of high levels of both somatic and cognitive anxiety.

Can a performer recover from catastrophe theory?

Yes, by reducing anxieties which will help arousal and performance return.

Who proposed the zone of optimal functioning?

Hanin, in 1986

What is the zone of optimal function?

That different people respond better to different optimal levels of arousal.

When a performer is 'in the zone', they perform with what characteristics?

- Confidence

- Calmness

- In control of their actions

- Fully focused

What can 'being in the zone' lead to?

Peak flow experience

What is the peak flow experience?

The feeling and performance levels experienced when in the zone, when the athlete experiences greatest happiness and fulfilment.

What kind of experience is the peak flow?

An intrinsic experience

What can peak flow be disrupted by?

- Poor mental preperation

- Failure to reach optimum arousal

- Pressure from crowd

- Frustration caused by the refs decision

- Injury

- Fatigue