How does level of arousal affect performance?
Neal Koepp
2025-07-22 05:00:21
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: 11
At low levels of arousal, our performance level is also low. This may be a well-balanced situation where we are relaxing and not expecting to perform to any degree of skill nor exert any energy or brain-power. However, when due to fatigue or lack of motivation the performance level achieved does not match the performance level required, we are liable to miss information, omit actions, to be less vigilant, scan insufficiently, make mistakes and react much slower to changes. Somewhere in between the two extremes, a point of optimum-arousal, which is appropriate and effective for the situation, will exist allowing for optimum performance. At this point it seems that our mental capacity, situational awareness, alertness, attention, vigilance, decision-making, and actions are all heightened in sensitivity and execution – we are in the zone. Some stressor(s) are required to rouse us from a low level of arousal into the optimum zone. When arousal is too high, perhaps due to overload, then once again we start to make more errors, find it harder to be decisive and take longer to react. One characteristic of over-arousal is our tendency to narrow attention and focus, such that other information is ignored or just not sensed. Ultimately we can breakdown and fail to function all together.
Ewald Stoltenberg
2025-07-22 04:34:39
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: 15
Although every athlete’s optimal arousal is different, being too amped up or being too down typically ends in an athlete falling short of their best performance. In order to perform optimally in the weight room and on the court or field, each individual athlete must achieve their own proper arousal level. This level of arousal is often referred to as “being in the zone,” or being in the “flow state” in psychology. Time and time again, we see athletes of all ages fail to perform their best because of their emotional level. Think back to how many times you have seen a team lose because they came out lacking energy, or were “flat.” What about that athlete that displays great strength in the weight room, but always misses the big lifts because they’re too aroused, or “psyched up?” Arousal can be defined as a state of excitement or energy expenditure linked to an emotion. Low arousal is linked to low energy expenditure, fatigue, tiredness, lack of anticipation and enthusiasm, and more. High arousal, on the contrary, is linked to highly competitive situations, big lifts or games, or any type of high stress event. The stronger our ability to control our emotions, stay focused, and trust our training, the higher the likelihood of us performing at our very best.
Dina DuBuque
2025-07-22 03:53:30
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: 10
Arousal reflects general physical and psychological activity. In general, arousal has two kinds of effects on performance. First, it increases muscle tension and affects co-ordination. Too much tension is detrimental to performance. Second, arousal affects attention. Therefore, attention can become either too narrow with too much arousal, or too broad with too little arousal which makes person to pay too much attention to his/her environment. Increases in arousal will result in the increase of performance, up to a point beyond which further arousal is dysfunctional to the outcome of performance. The amount of anxiety/arousal that an individual requires to perform their best is based on individual characteristics. Anxiety felt by the body will have an effect on performance much like that of the inverted U hypothesis. There is a negative linear relationship between cognitive anxiety and performance. There is an inverted U relationship between somatic anxiety and performance. If there is a high level of anxious thoughts, performance will be better at a medium level of physical arousal but will suddenly drop off and become very poor.
Henriette Mosciski
2025-07-22 02:59:53
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: 16
Arousal levels can be described as a function of alertness, stress, distraction and direction of attention. However, this effects how ready that person is to perform a task in an effective manner. Arousal levels can affect everything from performing a squat, kicking a goal in rugby to performing a speech. If your arousal levels are too low, you become disengaged and spaced out. Conversely, if you are too aroused for a task regardless of its nature, your physical and mental actions can be greatly affected. If your arousal is too high, attention to detail deteriorates. This is the level of arousal which will allow for the highest level of performance specific to the task. Arousal levels for someone preparing for a boxing match verses an archery competition is very different.
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