Arousal, Anxiety and Performance

[blank_start]Social Facilitation theory[blank_end] aims to explain how the presence of others influences performance. By predicating the [blank_start]presence[blank_end] of others [blank_start]increases[blank_end] arousal.

Martens (1975) reviewed [blank_start]24[blank_end] studies to find audiences [blank_start]increased[blank_end] the performance of [blank_start]well learned[blank_end] skills however [blank_start]novel[blank_end] skills were [blank_start]impaired[blank_end].

MacCraken and Stadulis (1985) used the [blank_start]balance beam test[blank_end] to see how an [blank_start]audience[blank_end] effected [blank_start]performance[blank_end]. The study included a [blank_start]pre-test[blank_end] to separate [blank_start]high[blank_end] and [blank_start]low[blank_end] balancing skill levels in the participants. The participants then performed the test with and without and audience. Finding the [blank_start]high skill level[blank_end] participants performed [blank_start]well[blank_end] in front of spectators but the [blank_start]low skill[blank_end] group didn't.

What are the problems with social facilitation theory?

Inverted U Theory predicts performance decreases with arousal.

Lowe (1971) measured heart rate in baseball little league performers. Finding heart rate increased depending on the importance of the situation.

What does this graph show?

What are the problems with the inverted U theory?

The catastrophe model shows...

Low arousal...

High arousal...

Low anxiety...

High anxiety will create...

The problems with the [blank_start]catastrophe model[blank_end] are that is only have [blank_start]limited[blank_end] research and [blank_start]fails[blank_end] to describe [blank_start]how[blank_end] this happens to performance.

What is processing efficiency theory?

The functions of anxiety are to [blank_start]consume[blank_end] attentional resources and increase [blank_start]effort[blank_end] during performance.

Why is too much anxiety bad?

Williams, Vickers and Rodrigus (2002) used [blank_start]10[blank_end] table tennis players. The players ahd [blank_start]6[blank_end] shots towards a target under 2 conditions. 1. [blank_start]Practice[blank_end] 2. £200 prize Attention was measured using a [blank_start]probe reaction time[blank_end], were participants had to shout yes to a tone that was played. The researchers found that comp [blank_start]increased[blank_end] anxiety as their reaction time was longer.

Hardy and Hutchinson (2007) studied [blank_start]10[blank_end] climbers under 2 climbs - one climb was high anxiety (hard) and the other was low anxiety (easy). The researchers found difficulty [blank_start]increased[blank_end] anxiety but this also [blank_start]increase[blank_end] effort, therefore performance increased with anxiety.