🔑 Key Definitions
Arousal: General state of activation or alertness (synonymous with state anxiety in research)
State Anxiety: Temporary emotional state with feelings of worry and apprehension
Trait Anxiety: Stable personality characteristic predisposing anxiety
State Anxiety: Temporary emotional state with feelings of worry and apprehension
Trait Anxiety: Stable personality characteristic predisposing anxiety
👤 Important Figures
- Zajonc - Social facilitation theory
📊 Key Measurement Tools
- SCAT - Sport Competition Anxiety Test (trait, unidimensional)
- SAS - Multidimensional Sport Anxiety Scale (trait)
- CSAI - Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (state, unidimensional)
- CSAI-2 - Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (state, multidimensional)
⏰ Time-to-Event Pattern
- Cognitive Anxiety: Starts high, remains high and stable as event approaches
- Somatic Anxiety: Stays low until 24 hours before event, then increases rapidly
- Somatic anxiety dissipates rapidly once performance begins
- Cognitive anxiety fluctuates throughout contest with success/failure probability
📈 Inverted-U Theory
- Relationship between arousal and performance is curvilinear (not linear)
- Performance best at moderate arousal levels
- Too low or too high arousal = decreased performance
- Difficult to test with humans due to ethical limitations on arousal induction
💡 Exam Tips
- Remember: Cognitive anxiety HIGH before event, Somatic anxiety rises 24 hours before
- Know all 4 anxiety measurement tools (SCAT, SAS, CSAI, CSAI-2)
- Inverted-U = curvilinear relationship (U-shaped curve upside down)
- Behavioral signs: fidgeting, rapid heart rate, dry mouth, trembling legs