How do arousal levels affect attentional focus?
Malika Hirthe
2025-07-22 08:34:32
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When we are lethargic our capacity is low, but it increases as arousal increases. At low levels of arousal the performer picks up both appropriate & inappropriate cues. At this level, the performer has a broad attentional field. As his arousal increases, his attention narrows & the irrelevant cues are ignored. This attentional narrowing enables him to focus on relevant cues & so he performs well. However, if arousal continues, his attention continues to narrow & his performance will deteriorate. Too much arousal may undermine athlete’s ability to narrow his attentional focus. Arousal increases immediately before performance of fine motor task causes additional attentional narrowing which seems to damage performance. Attentional narrowing causes player to scan attentional field less often or use his dominant attentional style, rather than several attentional styles as the occasion demands.
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