Understanding Arousal, Stress, and Anxiety in Performance

1. C H A P T E R C H A P T E R 4 4 Arousal,Stress, andAnxiety Arousal,Stress, andAnxiety

2. Session Outline Is Arousal the Same as Anxiety? Defining Arousal, Stress, and Anxiety Measuring Arousal and Anxiety Relationship Between Trait and State Anxiety Stress and the Stress Process Sources of Stress and Anxiety (continued)

3. Session Outline How Arousal and Anxiety Affect Performance Why Arousal Influences Performance Implications for Practice Symptoms of Arousal and State Anxiety

4. Is Arousal the Same as Anxiety? Arousal is a general physiological and psychological activation, varying in intensity along a continuum. Anxiety is a negative emotional state with feelings of worry, nervousness, and apprehension associated with activation of the body.

5. Defining Arousal, Stress, and Anxiety States Trait

6. Measuring Arousal and Anxiety Physiological signs (heart rate, respiration, skin conductance, biochemistry) Global and multidimensional self-report scales

7. Trait and StateAnxiety Relationship State anxiety: “Right now” feelings that change from moment to moment. Trait anxiety: A personality disposition that is stable over time. High versus low trait anxious people usually have more state anxiety in highly evaluative situations.

8. Stress and the Stress Process Stress: A substantial imbalance between physical and psychological demands placed on an individual and his or her response capability under conditions where failure to meet demands has important consequences. (continued)

9. Stress and the Stress Process Stress process Implications of the stress process for practice (intervene at any of the stress process stages)

10. Stage 1 The Stress Process Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

11. Stress and Stress Process Implications Intervene during any of the four stages of the stress process or cycle.

12. Sources of Stress and Anxiety Event importance Situationalsources Uncertainty Trait anxiety Personal sources Self-esteem Social physique anxiety

13. How Arousal and AnxietyAffect Performance Drive theory Inverted–U hypothesis Individualized zones of optimal functioning Multidimensional anxiety theory (continued)

14. How Arousal and AnxietyAffect Performance Catastrophe model Reversal theory Anxiety direction and intensity Significance of all these views

15. Drive Theory

16. Inverted–U Hypothesis

17. Individualized Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) Hypothesis

18. Multidimensional Anxiety Theory Cognitive anxiety: negatively related to performance Somatic anxiety: related to performance in an inverted-U pattern Little support for its predictions

19. Catastrophe Model

20. Catastrophe Model

21. Reversal Theory How arousal affects performance depends on an individual’s interpretation of his or her arousal level. Arousal can be interpreted as pleasant/excitement or as unpleasant/anxiety. Arousal interpreted as pleasant facilitates performance. (continued)

22. Reversal Theory Arousal interpreted as unpleasant hurts performance. Bottom line: Interesting view, but too early to draw firm conclusions.

23. Anxiety Direction and Intensity An individual’s interpretation of anxiety symptoms is important for understanding the anxiety-performance relationship. To understand the anxiety-performance relationship, both the intensity (how much anxiety one feels) and direction (a person’s interpretation of anxiety as being facilitating or debilitating to performance) must be considered. (continued)

24. Anxiety Direction and Intensity Viewing anxiety as facilitative leads to superior performance. Some support has been found for this view.

25. Significance of All the Arousal–Performance Views Arousal is multifaceted. Physical activation Arousal Interpretation of arousal

26. Significance of All the Arousal–Performance Views Arousal and state anxiety do not always have a negative effect on performance— they can be facilitative or debilitative depending on the interpretation. Some optimal level of arousal leads to peak performance, but the optimal levels of physiological activation and arousal-related thoughts (worry) are not the same. (continued)

27. Significance of All the Arousal–Performance Views Interaction of physiological arousal and arousal interpretation are more important than actual levels of each. It is doubtful that the optimal level of arousal is always at the midpoint of the arousal scale.

28. Why Arousal Influences Performance Increased muscle tension and coordination difficulties Attention and concentration changes:Narrowing of attentionShift to dominant styleAttend to inappropriate cues

29. Why Arousal Influences Performance Attentional narrowing

30. Implications for Practice Identify optimal combinations of arousal-related emotions needed for best performance. Recognize how personal and situational factors interact to influence arousal, anxiety, and performance.

31. Implications for Practice Interactional Model of Anxiety

32. Implications for Practice Recognize arousal and state anxiety signs. Tailor coaching strategies to individuals: Different strokes for different folks. Sometimes arousal and state anxiety must be reduced, other times maintained, and other times facilitated. Develop performers’ confidence.

33. Recognize Symptoms of Arousal and State Anxiety Cold, clammy hands Constant need to urinate Profuse sweating Negative self-talk Dazed look in eyes (continued)

34. Recognize Symptoms of Arousal and State Anxiety Feel ill Headache Cotton (dry) mouth Constantly sick Difficulties sleeping (continued)

35. Recognize Symptoms of Arousal and State Anxiety Increased muscle tension Butterflies in stomach Inability to concentrate Consistently perform better in nonevaluative situations