Arousal

Arousal

Degree of physiological and psychological readiness to perform - intensity of motivation/ drive to achieve

Types of arousal

• Physiological/ somatic - sweating/ increased HR

• Psychological/ cognitive - stress/ negative thinking

Extroverts and introverts

• Introverts - stimulated RAS and high internal arousal

• Extroverts - not stimulated RAS and low internal arousal

Drive theory

• as arousal increases, performance increases

• if arousal decreases, performance will decrease

• linear relationship

• low arousal = low performance and high arousal = high performance

• high arousal brings out more dominant responses - stored as motor programmes

Drive theory - advantages

• better for autonomous learners - developed motor programmes

• as a rugby players arousal increases, the better they will play

Drive theory - disadvantages

• bad for cognitive learners - have no motor programmes

• too simplistic

• linear relationship is rare

• doesn't account for personality/ nature of the task/ skill classification

Inverted U theory

• arousal increases and performance increases to an optimum point - optimal arousal

• if arousal continues to increase, performance will decline

Inverted U Theory - advantages

• accounts for personality type - introverts need less arousal than extroverts to reach optimal arousal

• accounts for skill classification - gross skills need more arousal than fine skills

• accounts for cognitive and associate learners - cognitive learners need less arousal than autonomous learners

Catastrophe theory

• low arousal = low performance

• arousal increases as performance increases to the optimum point

• if arousal continues to increase, performance will decline

• if arousal can be controlled, performance will increase again

Catastrophe theory - advantages

• explains why personality will suddenly decline

• more realistic than drive theory

• explains how performance can increase after a decline

Catastrophe theory - disadvantages

• doesn't account for personality types

Peak flow experience

• phrase used by athletes who reach the optimum - relate this to an emotional response

• referred to as being in the zone

• focused on performing and there are no distractions

• movements are automatic

• perform with little conscious thoughts

• rely on a motor programme

• rely on selective attention