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Arousal and Anxiety

Drive theory and the inverted-U

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 2

Overview

Arousal, drive theory and the dominant response, the inverted-U theory of Yerkes and Dodson, skill type, experience and personality, and under- and over-arousal.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is the dominant response in drive theory, and why does high arousal help an expert but hinder a novice?

Key term

What is arousal?

Key term

What does drive theory state about arousal and performance?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is arousal?

    Model answer

    Arousal is a person's level of physiological and psychological activation, or readiness to perform. Arousal ranges on a continuum from deep sleep to intense excitement.

  2. 2

    What does drive theory state about arousal and performance?

    Model answer

    Drive theory states that performance increases in proportion to arousal. The relationship is a straight line with no upper limit.

  3. 3

    Who proposed drive theory, and how is it written as a formula?

    Model answer

    Clark Hull proposed drive theory in 1943. The formula is performance = habit × drive, often written P = H × D.

  4. 4

    What is the dominant response in drive theory?

    Model answer

    The dominant response is the well-learned behaviour a performer is most likely to produce when aroused. High arousal makes the dominant response more likely to appear.

  5. 5

    According to drive theory, why does high arousal help an expert but hinder a novice?

    Model answer

    An expert's dominant response is the correct, well-learned skill, so performance improves under high arousal. A novice's dominant response is often incorrect, so errors increase.

  6. 6

    Why does drive theory suit gross, simple skills better than fine, complex ones?

    Model answer

    Gross, simple skills such as scrummaging need power rather than precision, so extra arousal helps. Fine, complex skills are disrupted by the tension and poor control that high arousal brings.

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