1. Arousal, Anxiety & Stress Gobinder Singh Gill

2. Aims and Objectives ALL students to identify and define Arousal, Stress and Anxiety MOST students will explain the cognitive and somatic effects of arousal, stress and anxiety MOST students will associate ways to control anxiety in performance situations SOME students will relate the theory of arousal, stress and anxiety to performance situations

3. Definitions Arousal – a sense of alertness and anticipation, which prepares the body for action Anxiety – Feelings of fear and apprehension Stress – A response of the body to demands made upon it Arousal – activation – Degree of physiological alertness caused by increased arousal

4. 4 Effects of Arousal, Stress and Anxiety Cognitive effects Negative effects, such as, confusion, irrational thoughts, lack of concentration Positive effects, faster information processing, increased attention Somatic effects Increased heart rate Increased blood pressure Sweating

5. 5 Stress and sport - summary StressorStress responseStress experience FrustrationSomaticPositive, eustress FoulSweating, heart rate, adrenaline Conflict Competition demandsCognitiveNegative, distress ClimateAnxiety, negative thoughts, lack of concentration Fatigue Playing badly Worry of injury Letting team down

6. 6 Positive or negative effects DemandsPerceptionArousalOutcome SituationPositive (Challenge) EustressEnhanced performance Negative (threat)DistressImpaired performance

7. 7 The relationship between arousal and performance Drive theory Formula P = f(D * H) P = performance, f = function, D = drive, H= habit Works best with well learned skills Inverted “U” theory Performance arousal increases, but only to a certain point after which arousal deteriorates Depends on types of task, expertise and personality of performer

8. 8 The relationship between arousal and performance Catastrophe theory States that after arousal improves performance there is a sudden dramatic collapse This collapse is due to both somatic and cognitive effects

9. 9 Zone of Optimal Functioning (Hanin) Elite athletes use relaxation, imagery, visualisation and mental rehearsal to reach the ZOF The ZOF can occur at lower levels of arousal, especially in individual sports. It can also differ with the performers personality and preferences

10. 10 Features of the ZOF Extreme confidence Automatic control Control of the situation Extreme focus Fun Effortless Relaxed Action and awareness merge Total control over events Total concentration Absorbed in the activity

11. 11 Anxiety in Sport Trait anxiety Innate – constant characteristic State anxiety Situation – specific – temporary emotional state Competitive anxiety Sport specific

12. 12 SCAT Test Anxiety is interactive: If you have the trait you are more likely to show the state Trait anxious participants are not equally anxious all the time Competitive anxiety can vary from near calm to complete panic A main cause of competitive anxiety is evaluation apprehension or being judged

13. 13 Measures of anxiety Self – report questionnaire Observation Physiological tests

14. 14 Controlling cognitive anxiety Imagery Visualisation Mental rehearsal or mental practice Self talk Goal setting

15. 15 Controlling somatic anxiety Relaxation Biofeedback Breathing

16. 16 Summary Arousal, stress and anxiety are key to sports performance Performers who can cope with anxiety are more likely to succeed than those who fail to cope Arousal levels need to be optimised to reach effective performance Stress can be seen as both positive and negative There are a range of strategies that can be utilised to help overcome high anxiety levels 16