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3.2.3.1.3 Arousal, 3.2.3.1.4 Anxiety GapFill
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Arousal can be defined as a heightened state of readiness. A number of theories have attempted to explain the close relationship between levels of arousal and performance.
| theory suggests that as arousal increases, there is a proportional increase in performance. This brings about the performer's response, which is their natural reaction based on a combination of skill level, personality and environment. However, a failure to distinguish between high-level and low-level performers and explain overarousal leads to the common critique that this theory is over-simplistic. |
| theory also suggests that performance increases alongside arousal, but differs by indicating an optimal arousal level, at which point performance is also at its optimal level. If arousal continues to rise beyond this point, performance will decrease proportionally. The optimum level of arousal and performance is known as the individual zone of (IZOF), and is highly individualised among athletes and their situations. For example, a novice performer will experience a level of arousal than a more experienced athlete. Similarly, a high-pressure situation, such as a penalty shoot-out in football, will require a level of arousal to be in the IZOF relative to a low-pressure situation, such as taking a corner. Athletes who are in the IZOF are said to be in a state of experience, displaying characteristics such as relaxation, maximum focus and high levels of control over performance. |
| Catastrophe theory – the final theory examining the effects of arousal is similar to the previous two in that it suggests that as arousal increases, so does the level of performance up to the IZOF. However, any further increases in arousal have a catastrophic effect on performance due to high . When this is the case, the performer can salvage performance levels by reducing their arousal levels and, thus, their anxiety. An example of this theory in practice was Jean van de Velde's catastrophe at the 1999 British Open. Being in the IZOF up until the eighteenth tee, his proportionally high performance levels had him leading the way. Perhaps as he was one hole away from winning, the added pressure might have pushed his arousal levels and cognitive anxiety beyond the limit, resulting in a wayward second shot which landed in the deep rough behind a stream. When he attempted to hit the ball onto the green from the rough, the thick grass caught his club and the ball landed in the stream. His game was unravelling and the drop in his performance levels was probably accompanied by symptoms of somatic anxiety. He took his shoes and socks off, as his total loss of due to cognitive anxiety had him contemplating whether to play the ball from the water as it floated on the surface. After lowering his arousal levels and returning to rational thoughts, he threw the ball to his caddie and climbed back out. Reducing his cognitive anxiety, he retained focus and returned to the IZOF, managing to hole two shots later and book his place in the play-off. |