Arousal is the degree of the physical or psychological readiness, the intensity of behavior. It can be the thought of an continuum from deep sleep to intense excitement.
It links with the levels of inner drives. Arousal must be under control and at the right amount depending on the task. The effects can be either positive and a raising level will increase readiness, or the effects will be negative and a raising level will cause worry and increase anxiety.
Hull's Drive Theory
According to hull, his drive theory states as arousal increases so does performance linearly. For example, if a boxer was to getting more aroused by his opponent, his performance starts to increase as more arousal leads to more aggression which is necessary for the performer.
At high arousal the performer is likely to revert to a dominant response. If the performer is in the autonomous phase of learning, their dominant response is likely to be correct, and if the skill is being performed is either a gross or simple skill, it's likely to be complete. For example, an experienced footballer will perform better at high levels of arousal, and be able to perform a perform a fake step.
However, if the performer is in the cognitive phase of learning, they won't be able to cope with high levels of arousal and therefore their dominant response is likely to be incorrect. Also, if the skill being performed is a fine or complex skill, it's likely to be incomplete. For example, an inexperienced footballer will likely to perform badly at high arousal levels and fail to complete a rainbow flick.
Therefore inexperienced performers should participate at lower levels of arousal.
Yerkes' and Dodson's Inverted U Hypothesis
According to Yerkes and Dodson, their theory states as arousal levels increase so does performance but only to an optimum point.
Optimum point is at moderate levels of arousal. If arousal is too high then performance will start to decline, as well as under arousal will lead to poor performance. For example, if a football player has been aroused by being tackled, it will make him work hard to try and get the ball back and make a challenge, however if the player gets too aroused, it will make the player go in for a tackle from behind, it will injure the opposing player and the player will get sent off, however if the player is lacking arousal, the player wouldn't have that drive to try and get the ball back and letting his man get away with the ball, leading to poor performance.
The theory is modified depending on the ability, skill or performer. The performer in the cognitive stage achieves optimum performance with lower levels of arousal. Performers in autonomous stage achieves optimum performance with higher levels of arousal. For example, the optimum point of an experienced basketball player will be higher, whilst the optimum point of a rookie will be lower.
The theory is modified depending on the task. Fine or complex skills are performed most effectively at lower levels of arousal; gross or simple skills are performed most effectively at higher levels of arousal. For example, the cross over skill in basketball is a simple skill that's effective when arousal levels are low.
The theory is modified depending on the personality of the performer. Extrovert performers achieve optimum performance at higher levels of arousal; Introvert performers achieve optimum performance at lower levels of arousal. For example, an excited and energetic performer will achieve optimum point in higher levels of arousal in basketball than quiet and moody players.
Inverted U doesn't explain sudden decrease in performance.
Yerkes' and Dodson's Catastrophe Theory
This theory is quite similar to the inverted U hypothesis. According to Yerkes and Dodson, their theory states as arousal levels increase so does performance but only to an optimum point.
As arousal increases, so does performance, but only to an optimum point. Once arousal increases after the optimum point, performance will catastrophically decline steeply. However, this process can be reversed; if arousal decreases then performance will start to increase, returning to the optimum point.They can do decrease arousal by calming themselves down and thinking positive .For example, a football player who is highly aroused messes up in attempting to perform a rabona and gives the ball away and they concede a goal leading to an instant drop in performance, but then the player calms down and starts using simpler skills.
The theory is modified depending on the ability, skill or performer. The performer in the cognitive stage achieves optimum performance with lower levels of arousal. Performers in autonomous stage achieves optimum performance with higher levels of arousal. For example, the optimum point of an experienced rugby player can be achieved with higher levels of arousal, whilst the optimum point will be achieved with lower arousal levels for inexperienced rugby players.
The theory is modified depending on the task. Fine or complex skills are performed most effectively at lower levels of arousal; gross or simple skills are performed most effectively at higher levels of arousal. For example, the cross over skill in basketball is a simple skill that's effective when arousal levels are low.
The theory is modified depending on the personality of the performer. Extrovert performers achieve optimum performance at higher levels of arousal; Introvert performers achieve optimum performance at lower levels of arousal. For example, an excited and energetic performer will achieve optimum point in higher levels of arousal in basketball than quiet and moody players.
Eastbrook's Cue-Utilization
Cue utilization is the process of attending to the correct environmental cues, facilitating maximum attention control, allowing efficient decision making and effective performance to take place.
This theory suggests that the level of arousal and the style of attention used will determine the amount of information taken.
If there is low arousal, the attention field of the performer will widen massively, selective attention won't be able to work which will lead to a decrease in focus and concentration. A condition of information overload will exist which will impede efficient decision making and reduce the likely hood of good performance.
If there is over arousal, the attention field of the performer will narrow massively, selective attention won't be able to work and detection of relevant cues will be impaired. A condition of hyper-vigilance will exist, impeding efficient decision making and reduce the likely hood of good performance.
If there is optimal arousal, the attention field will change to the right width and selective attention will be able to detect relevant environmental cues. This ensures efficient decision making, and increase the likely hood of good performance.
For example, levels of arousal and cue utilization will effect a 100m sprinter.
If the sprinter had under arousal, then the attention field will widen, which will lead to lower concentration and will pay attention to the irrelevant cues, for example the sprinter will focus on the crowd. Also, the sprinter's selective attention will decrease and won't be able to focus on the sprint and the stimulus. As a result, cue utilization will decrease and becomes less focused, so the sprinter will have a slower reaction time due to paying attention to the crowd and not the pistol. This will increase information overload.
If the sprinter had over arousal, then the attention field will narrow, which will lead to a state of hyper-vigilance which will prevent the sprinter from selecting relevant cues, for example the pistol. As a result, cue utilization will decrease and reaction decreases and miss the cue.
If the sprinter had optimal arousal, then they will be able to concentrate and the attention field will adjust to relevant cues, for example the pistol. This will lead to an increase of selective attention, so they will be able to concentrate on the pistol more, and as a result increases cue utilization.
There are many cognitive techniques that can be used to assist concentration. You can use imagery, mental rehearsal and relaxation. These techniques can be used to help focus the mind of athletes to a specific task, they can help reduce stress and can also manage anxiety in a productive way. You can also use trigger words, like "eye on the ball", create a set of routines, play distracting games during training and use the four types of attention focus and use cues to trigger concentration.
If there is over arousal, these techniques can reduce arousal to an optimal point, which will increase performance. If there is under arousal, these techniques can build arousal in a controllable matter, to an optimal point and increase performance. If there is optimal arousal, these techniques can help increase concentration, which will increase performance.
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