In terms of the Drive Theory, it is assumed that the performer’s level of skill and relationship between arousal and performance is linear: performance increases in proportion to arousal. Therefore, a very high arousal level would result in a high performance level, provided skill is well-learned. However, if the skill is not well-learned, performance of skill will deteriorate as arousal increases. This theory helps explain why beginners find it difficult to perform well under pressure. Often beginner’s skill level decreases if they are competing in a relay race using new skills, for example a football dribbling race. However, the theory also explains how experienced athletes perform better under pressure using well-learned skills, for example good tennis players play better against stronger opposition. A sporting example of this is Ed Moses, 400m hurdles Olympic medal winner in 1976 and 1984. Ed said ‘the way I get the best out is by not expecting an easy race. It’s easier when there’s pressure. You get emotional and you go out to perform’.
The inverted U theory on the other hand, states that arousal improves performance up to an optimal point. Past this point, performance begins to decrease. When drawn on a graph this appears as an upside down U shape. Unlike the Drive Theory, there are three rules which surround this theory. Firstly, activity: Some sports are better performed at low arousal, mainly those which require small, precision movements and control, for example shooting and archery. Secondly, skill level: beginners to a sport require all of their attention to be focused on the task in hand and so do not cope as well with over-arousal. Highly skilled individuals have the skill well practiced and so do not require such high levels of concentration meaning they can deal better with the arousal level. Lastly, personality: extroverts perform better in high-pressure, high arousal situations. Introverts on the other hand, tend to do better in a state of low arousal. A sporting example of this is Jenna Murie, Wing Defence of Team Bath Netball squad when the team was playing Exeter, the team including Jenna was highly aroused and being at a high skill level, performance increased. However due to certain aspects of her personality for example aggression, her motivation decreased when they were losing in the third quarter and so performance decreased.
In the Inverted U theory, there is a steady fall-off in performance following over-arousal. The Catastrophe theory however is a theory of arousal that predicts a rapid decline in performance resulting from the combination of high cognitive anxiety and increasing somatic anxiety. Somatic anxiety is physiological, for example sweating. Cognitive anxiety is psychological, for example worrying about tripping. Increases in levels of cognitive anxiety will help performance if somatic anxiety is low. So if the body is relaxed but the performer is feeling anxious then this anxiety can help to improve performance. If there is an increase in cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety is high then performance will decline. If there are high levels of cognitive anxiety and there is a continuous increase in somatic anxiety or physiological arousal then performance can suddenly deteriorate creating a ‘catastrophic’ response. After this performance has the ability to improve but not enough to go back to its originally optimum level. A sporting example of this is Wigan’s prop Ben Flowers who was playing against St Helens. His arousal was extremely high and he became very aggressive to an opposing player- Lance Hohaia in which Flower’s performance dropped dramatically.
The inverted U theory on the other hand, states that arousal improves performance up to an optimal point. Past this point, performance begins to decrease. When drawn on a graph this appears as an upside down U shape. Unlike the Drive Theory, there are three rules which surround this theory. Firstly, activity: Some sports are better performed at low arousal, mainly those which require small, precision movements and control, for example shooting and archery. Secondly, skill level: beginners to a sport require all of their attention to be focused on the task in hand and so do not cope as well with over-arousal. Highly skilled individuals have the skill well practiced and so do not require such high levels of concentration meaning they can deal better with the arousal level. Lastly, personality: extroverts perform better in high-pressure, high arousal situations. Introverts on the other hand, tend to do better in a state of low arousal. A sporting example of this is Jenna Murie, Wing Defence of Team Bath Netball squad when the team was playing Exeter, the team including Jenna was highly aroused and being at a high skill level, performance increased. However due to certain aspects of her personality for example aggression, her motivation decreased when they were losing in the third quarter and so performance decreased.
In the Inverted U theory, there is a steady fall-off in performance following over-arousal. The Catastrophe theory however is a theory of arousal that predicts a rapid decline in performance resulting from the combination of high cognitive anxiety and increasing somatic anxiety. Somatic anxiety is physiological, for example sweating. Cognitive anxiety is psychological, for example worrying about tripping. Increases in levels of cognitive anxiety will help performance if somatic anxiety is low. So if the body is relaxed but the performer is feeling anxious then this anxiety can help to improve performance. If there is an increase in cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety is high then performance will decline. If there are high levels of cognitive anxiety and there is a continuous increase in somatic anxiety or physiological arousal then performance can suddenly deteriorate creating a ‘catastrophic’ response. After this performance has the ability to improve but not enough to go back to its originally optimum level. A sporting example of this is Wigan’s prop Ben Flowers who was playing against St Helens. His arousal was extremely high and he became very aggressive to an opposing player- Lance Hohaia in which Flower’s performance dropped dramatically.