Final answer:
Moderate anxiety, or eustress, can enhance performance, and individuals who perceive their anxiety positively perform better. The intensity of anxiety alone is not as important as how it is perceived and whether it is seen as facilitating or debilitating.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer the question of which statements are true concerning the relationship between anxiety and performance, we must look at the evidence provided by psychological research. Increased anxiety is not always debilitating to performance. While it is true that excessive anxiety, or distress, can harm performance, this is not the case when anxiety is at a moderate level. Instead, moderate anxiety can act as eustress, which is beneficial and enhances performance.
Athletes and individuals who view their anxiety as a facilitator rather than a hindrance do indeed often exhibit higher levels of performance. This indicates a recognition of the benefits of moderate stress that can lead to a state of heightened focus and energy, often referred to as being 'in the zone' or at the top of one's game.
The notion that the intensity of anxiety is more important than its direction does not fully capture the complexity of the issue. It is not just the intensity of the anxiety that matters, but also the individual's perception of that anxiety as either facilitating or debilitating which influences performance. Thus, a correct answer would reflect the importance of both the level and interpretation of anxiety.