Topic 7: Anxiety & Arousal in Sport Performance

Question 1

Somatic Anxiety

Answer 1

Physiological Arousal: increased HR, BP, muscle tension, sweaty palms

Usually low until 6hrs before competition, then increases until the beginning of competition, then decreases.

Question 2

Cognitive Anxiety

Answer 2

Feelings: Worry, fear, etc.

Usually high up until the beginning of competition, then decreases.

Question 3

Arousal

Answer 3

Describes the state of physiological and psychological activation in a person. It varies on a continuum from deep sleep to intense excitement.

Question 4

Drive Theory

Answer 4

Direct relationship between arousal & performance. If performance is low, arousal is low, etc.

Question 5

Inverted-U Hypothesis

Answer 5

Reversed U in a graph.

Question 6

Multidimensional Anxiety Theory

Answer 6

High performance = high cognitive anxiety
Low performance = low somatic anxiety

Question 7

Zone of Optimal Functioning

Answer 7

Individual athletes have a zone of optimal anxiety in which their best performance occurs.

Question 8

Catastrophe Theory

Answer 8

The left hand side of the three dimensional relationship with low levels of arousal shows increases in cognitive anxiety will help performance whereas the opposite occurs with high arousal (the right hand side) and there is a decline in performance.