Question

Lynne is an athlete. When she first participated in athletic competitions, she experienced intense anxiety before each game. However, after the competition, she felt an intense thrill, which motivated her to keep participating. Now Lynne experiences some mild nervousness prior to a game but still feels the same elation after the game. This phenomenon is best explained by the inverted U-shaped theory.

a) Yerkes-Dodson
b) Maslow's hierarchy
c) Drive reduction
d) Inverted U-shaped

Answer 1

Lynne's reduction in pre-game anxiety and sustained post-competition elation align with the inverted U-shaped theory of arousal, suggesting she has found an optimal level of arousal for peak performance, known as eustress.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phenomenon Lynne experiences, where her initial intense anxiety has lessened over time, but she still feels elated after athletic competitions, can be explained by the inverted U-shaped theory of arousal. The theory posits that there is an optimal level of arousal that leads to the best performance.

Initially, Lynne's anxiety may have been too high, hindering her performance (a state known as distress), but over time, through repeated exposure and experience, she has achieved a more moderate, optimal level of arousal prior to her games, reducing her anxiety to a level that still motivates and prepares her for competition without being debilitating. This moderate arousal level aligns with what research identifies as eustress, a positive and energizing stress which can enhance performance. It's also worth noting that the thrill Lynne feels post-competition could be linked to the release of biochemical substances such as endorphins or endocannabinoids that have a positive effect on mood.