defining arousal, stress, and anxiety

Defining Arousal, Stress, and Anxiety

Trait

States

The Stress Process

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Sources of Stress and Anxiety

Event importance

Trait anxiety

Self-esteem

Situationalsources

Personal sources

Social physique anxiety

Uncertainty

Drive Theory

Inverted–U Hypothesis

Individualized Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) Theory

Catastrophe Model

Catastrophe Model

Reversal TheoryHow arousal affects performance depends on an individual’s interpretation of his or her arousal level.

Arousal can be interpreted as pleasant/excitement or as unpleasant/anxiety.

Arousal interpreted as pleasant facilitates performance, and arousal interpreted as unpleasant hurts performance.

Anxiety Direction and Intensity

An individual’s interpretation of anxiety symptoms is important for understanding the anxiety-performance relationship.

To understand the anxiety-performance relationship, both the intensity (how much anxiety one feels) and direction (a person’s interpretation of anxiety as being facilitating or debilitating to performance) must be considered.

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Anxiety Direction and Intensity

Viewing anxiety as facilitative leads to superior performance.Some support has been found for this view.

Significance of All the Arousal–Performance Views

**Arousal is multifaceted**Arousal and state anxiety do not always have a negative effect on performance— they can be facilitative or debilitative depending on the interpretation.

Some optimal level of arousal leads to peak performance, but the optimal levels of physiological activation and arousal-related thoughts (worry) are not the same.

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Significance of All the Arousal–Performance Views

Combination of a.) physiological arousal and b.) arousal interpretation are more important than actual levels of each.

It is doubtful that the optimal level of arousal is always at the midpoint of the arousal scale.

Why Arousal and AnxietyInfluence Performance

Increased muscle tension and coordination difficultiesAttention and concentration changes:

Narrowing of attentionShift to dominant styleAttend to inappropriate cues

Why Arousal Influences PerformanceAttentional narrowing

The Flow Model

Complete absorption in the activityMerging of action and awareness; performance is on automatic pilot

Essential elements of flow

Total concentration, focusHigh confidence

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The Flow Model

Loss of self-consciousness; no thinking about performanceA sense of control, and loss of fear/anxietyNo goals or rewards external to the activity

Essential elements of flow

Effortless movement, performanceSlowing of time, motion

The Typical Context of Flow

A balance of skill and challenge