arousal

Question 1

arousal

Answer 1

a general physiological and psychological activation of the person that varies on a continuum from deep sleep to extreme excitement

Question 2

ways arousal affects performance

Answer 2

. info processing
. speed of reactions
. quality of decisions
. can lead o exceptionally good or poor performances

Question 3

how does arousal affect concentration

Answer 3

at high arousal levels we’re unable to detect many cues from the environment and so may not have enough cues to make an effective decision, those we do take in are often irrelevant

Question 4

attentional narrowing

Answer 4

focusing and paying attention to less cues - could be correct or incorrect

Question 5

cue utilisation

Answer 5

an ability to detect cues to know which is irrelevant and relevant

Question 6

sporting example that requires high level of arousal and why?

Answer 6

rugby because you need to most amount of power and technique won’t affect the skill as much

Question 7

sporting example that requires low level of arousal and why?

Answer 7

golf putt because it’s a fine skill and it needs to be accurate

Question 8

drive theory

Answer 8

. linear relationship P = f (h x d)
. the greater the arousal the greater the probability that the performers learned behaviour will appear (dominant response)
. it either causes performance to increase or decrease depending on the stage of learning
. the more aroused we are, the more motivated we are

Question 9

inverted U theory

Answer 9

. as arousal increases so does performance up to a point
. low arousal = low performance
. gradually improving performance as arousal increases up to a optimal point of arousal levels

Question 10

what does optimum arousal depend on in the inverted U theory?

Answer 10

. personality of performer
. nature/complexity of the skill
. level of performer

Question 11

reticular activation system

Answer 11

a natural level of activation in our body to be able to do everyday tasks

Question 12

catastrophe theory

Answer 12

. as arousal increases so does performance and reaches a maximal point which will vary between people due to personality and experiences of play
. if the performer becomes more aroused their performance will deteriorate rapidly due to presence of high levels of somatic and cognitive anxiety
. the player can regain a lower level of play through the use of SMT if the cause was mild

Question 13

factors affecting arousal levels

Answer 13

. confidence levels
. experience
. type of task
. personality
. anxiety/fatigue
. temperature
. injury/fitness level

Question 14

ZOOF theory

Answer 14

ZOOF = zone of optimal functioning
. not just one point of arousal where exceptional performance happens but is just a general range
. some players find this at low, medium or high
. SMT are used to help performers reach ZOOF

Question 15

peak flow

Answer 15

an extension of feeling and performance levels experienced in the zone - total focus without any effort, ultimate intrinsic experience

Question 16

factors affecting peak flow

Answer 16

. poor mental prep and the failure to reach optimal levels
. environmental influences such as pressure from the crowd
. the effect of injury or fatigue during the game

Question 17

social facilitation

Answer 17

beneficial effect of the crowd

Question 18

social inhibition

Answer 18

negative effect of the crowd

Question 19

zajonic’s theory of social facilitation

Answer 19

presence of others -> increase in arousal leading to dominant response
-> DR is corrected when task is well learnt or is incorrect during initial learning -> audience either impairs learning or facilitates

Question 20

audience in zajonic’s theory

Answer 20

those who are watching, either as spectators or on a TV, their very presence causes pressure

Question 21

co-actors in zajonic’s theory

Answer 21

those who are doing the same task but aren’t involved in direct competition

Question 22

competitors in zajonic’s theory

Answer 22

this who are in direct competition with you

Question 23

social encouragers in zajonic’s theory

Answer 23

those who have a direct influence on the event

Question 23

performance and the dominant response with elite athletes

Answer 23

. presence of others causes an increase in arousal
. this causes a dominant response which is made simple as it doesn’t require much thought or effort
. BUT the response will be correct as the athlete will have learnt to deal with it

Question 24

performance and the dominant response with novices

Answer 24

. presence of others causes an increase in arousal . this causes a dominant response which is made simple as it doesn't require much thought or effort . BUT they're unlikely to have learned responses that are done automatically and may not be able to identify the correct response and may produce an incorrect action

Question 25

evaluation apprehension

Answer 25

. when feeling judged their arousal increases which can lead to increased motivation and excitement . OR can impair performance - affect info processing . negative influence of an audience as they perceive they're being judged

Question 26

cognitive learners coping with audience

Answer 26

. learn all new skills in isolation or small groups . over learn basic skills . evaluative audiences could be gradually introduced . always be positive when making judgements on performers

Question 26

autonomous learners coping with an audience

Answer 26

. overlearning a skill . crowd noise can be gradually introduced to desensitise the performer . goal setting and attributing positively post game will aid the ability to cope with arousal levels . SMT can be taught

Question 27

advantages of playing on your home field

Answer 27

. audience support increases players confidence and motivation individually and collectively . home teams have been found to play more assertively - due to an increase in arousal . increases in arousal in elite performers leads to improved performances

Question 27

disadvantages of playing on your home field

Answer 27

. the team may choke due to the level of expectation in important games . stadiums are now large and can be difficult to fill regularly so the crowd may appear small . distance of supporters from the pitch affects the advantage of the home team

Question 28

strategies to eliminate social inhibition

Answer 28

. mental rehearsal/image/visualisation . train in front of others and gradually increase numbers . reduce importance of event . encourage teammates to be supportive . use stress management