POssible exam questions for PYC 4812

SPORT PYSCHOLOGY: PYC 4812 Possible questions on Arousal in the exam Qs: Describe the use of the term arousal in sport psychology, explain the difference between arousal and anxiety, and describe how arousal is measured in sport psychology? Attempted Ans: Arousal: neural excitation ↔ Activation ▪ According to Williams & Krane (2015) arousal refers to a generalised physiological excitation varying on a continuum from deep sleep to extreme excitement; ▪ Serves as an energising function and thus reflects the intensity level of motivation and is nondirective; ▪ Whether the arousal starts with a thought or an external stimulus, the result is autonomic nervous system responses such as increased heart and respiration rates, butterflies in the stomach muscle tension and sweating; ▪ Activation: is synonymous with the term arousal and refers to the overall physical and mental state required by an athlete to be ready to perform a respective task or activity. (Williams & Krane, 2015) Anxiety: An emotion associated with the experience of stress in sport. o Williams & Krane (2015) further, explained in sport psychology in detail as such: o in its’s different forms in Sport Psychology symptoms may include worry, together with a heightened perception of one’s physiological state or level of arousal; o Cognitive anxiety responses represent the thoughts experienced in stressful situations include worries negative expectations and apprehensions about performance (mental responses to stressors) o Somatic anxiety symptoms include factors such as muscular tension, butterflies in the stomach, dry mouth, clammy hands and perspiration. How arousal is measured: ▪ Data taken from the electromyograph, and the use of digital video technology and match analysis techniques can facilitate objective observation and assessment of player S - The study-notes marketplace Downloaded by: nandilove | Distribution of this document is illegal S - The study-notes marketplace behaviour during training and competition and form the basis of a post-event evaluation interview; ▪ Measurement data of physiological arousal as heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tone from the electromyograph is helpful especially from repressors; ▪ Brainwave data measuring epinephrine, norephrine and corticosteroids (all released into the bloodstream during stress) could be undertaken; ▪ The inverted-U-hypothesis. Qs: Discuss the relationship between arousal and motor performance: In the discussion- give a short expl