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ENERGY MANAGEMENT:
PSYCHING UP WITHOUT
PSYCHING OUT
Damon Burton
University of Idaho
What is arousal?
AROUSAL DEFINED
• Arousal – the general physiological
and psychological activation of the
body that varies on a continuum
from deep sleep to intense
excitement.
AROUSAL CONTINUUM
Low
Arousal
High
Arousal
Coma
Frenzy
couch potato
working out
COMPONENTS
OF AROUSAL
• intensity – amount of activation of
the Autonomic Nervous System.
• direction – interpretation of
activation as positive and facilitating
performance or negative and
detrimental to performance.
PHYSIOLOGICAL
COMPONENTS OF AROUSAL
• Under stress, the Autonomic Nervous
•
•
System is activated.
The sympathetic component of the ANS
pumps adrenaline into bloodstream to
help the body prepare to handle
demanding situation.
The “Fight or Flight Syndrome” is a
survival mechanism built into our
caveman ancestors.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES
DURING MAXIMAL AROUSAL
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing increase,
Muscles develop anticipatory tension,
Glucose is released from the liver to provide extra
energy,
Through vasodilation, blood is shunted away from
the digestive system to the large muscles of arms
and legs,
The kidneys shut down and the bladder is emptied,
Brain activity increases, enhancing alertness, and
Our cooling system engages to prepare for
vigorous activity.
WHAT TRIGGERS
ACTIVATION OF THE ANS?
• life-threatening situations that
trigger the “Fight or Flight
Syndrome,”
• psychological stress such as
preparing for a big test, an
important speech, a crucial job
interview or a major sport
competition.
MENTAL COMPONENTS
OF AROUSAL
• self talk,
• imagery,
• attentional focus, and
• perceptions of control.
Does arousal help or hurt
performance?
Relationships Between Physical and Mental
Components of Arousal
High Physical Arousal
• somatic anxiety
• excitement
• anger
• challenge
• readiness
Debilitative
Facilitative
• boredom
• fatigue
• relaxation
• lethargy
Low Physical Arousal
FACILITATIVE AROUSAL
• high arousal that is interpreted positively as
•
•
optimal challenge, readiness or excitement.
leads to a constructive approach to
competition in which athletes are highlyfocused, thinking positively, feeling
prepared and in control, and imagining
successful process and outcome.
prompts performers to rise to the occasion,
attain personal excellence and promote
Flow.
DEBILITATIVE AROUSAL
• high arousal that is interpreted negatively as
•
•
threat, worry, and fear of failure.
leads to a detrimental approach to
competition in which athletes are highlydistracted, thinking negatively, feeling ill
prepared and totally overwhelmed, and
imagining disastrous performance and
outcome.
prompts choking and poor performance,
thus blocking Flow.
How does arousal
relate to anxiety?
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN
AROUSAL AND ANXIETY
•
•
•
•
Anxiety – a negative emotional state characterized
by feelings of nervousness, worry and apprehension
associated with activation of the body.
Anxiety is a negative emotion that has a detrimental
impact on performance.
Trait anxiety – is the tendency to view situations
negatively and respond with higher levels of state
anxiety.
State anxiety – is a momentary anxiety experience
that includes both autonomic arousal and specific
cognitions of worry and apprehension.
Model of Competitive Emotions
Facilitative
• self-confidence
• excitement
• readiness
Physical
Mental
• cognitive anxiety
• somatic anxiety
Debilitative
DIMENSIONS OF ANXIETY
•
Cognitive Anxiety – is negative expectations of
success or worrying about the negative
consequences of failure.

•
Symptoms include: self-doubts, concerns about doing
well, lack of control, inability to concentrate and images
of failure or disaster.
Somatic Anxiety – is the physiological and affective
component of anxiety that develops directly from
autonomic arousal and is interpreted negatively.

Symptoms include: muscular tension, butterflies in the
stomach, shortness of breath, sweaty palms, “cotton
mouth,” frequent urination, and increased heart rate.
POSITIVE COMPETITIVE
EMOTIONS
Self-Confidence – is positive expectations of
success that should facilitate performance.

Symptoms include: feelings of control, perceptions of
being highly prepared, few concerns about doing well,
extreme belief in talent and ability, and images of
success.
Excitement/Readiness – reflects a positive
interpretation of autonomic arousal symptoms
that should facilitate performance.

Symptoms include: muscular tension, butterflies in the
stomach, shortness of breath, sweaty palms, “cotton
mouth,” frequent urination, and increased heart rate.
How does arousal
impact performance?
DRIVE THEORY: AROUSALPERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP
High
Performance
Low
Arousal
High
INVERTED-U THEORY: AROUSALPERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP
Performance
1
2
Arousal
• Individualized ZOF
3
CATASTROPHE THEORY:
WHEN AROUSAL & COGNITIVE
ANXIETY ARE HIGH
High Cognitive Anxiety
Performance
1
2
Arousal
3
How do underarousal and
overarousal hurt
performance?
HOW UNDERAROUSAL
IMPAIRS PERFORMANCE
• Arousal is insufficient to prepare body for
challenging competitive demands.





Insufficient oxygen is pumped to the working
muscles,
The body’s cooling system is not adequately readied,
Nonessential systems such as digestion and excretion
are not put on standby,
Glucose has not been released from the liver to fuel
activity, and
Brain activity increases, heightening alertness.
HOW OVER AROUSAL
IMPAIRS PERFORMANCE
•
•
•
•
excessive muscular tension and coordination
problems,
•
index finger example
attentional problems,
•
•
attentional narrowing,
inability to shift attention,
brain specialization problems,
•
excessive analyzer control,
adoption of an outcome rather than a process
orientation
How do task and
personality variables
influence optimal arousal?
OPTIMAL AROUSAL: SIMPLE
VERSUS COMPLEX TASKS
• attentional demands
• decision-making requirements,
and
• nature of the motor response.
ATTENTIONAL DEMANDS
• the number of stimuli in the
environment,
• the number of cues you need to
attend to,
• the duration and intensity of the
stimuli, and
• the conflicting nature of cues.
DECISION-MAKING
REQUIREMENTS
• number of decisions necessary,
• number of choices per decision,
• speed at which decisions have to be
made, and
• the sequence of those decisions.
NATURE OF THE
MOTOR RESPONSE
• the number of muscles involved,
• the amount of coordination
required,
• the precision and steadiness needed,
and
• the fine motor skills required.
OPTIMAL AROUSAL:
TASK DURATION
• Long-duration events – require execution
•
of the skill as efficiently as possible to
minimize energy expenditure through
good technique and correct pace.
Short-duration events – require sharplyfocused, explosive arousal for a few
moments when athletes perform.
Does the inverted-U
hypothesis still effectively
explain how arousal
influences performance?
RECONCEPTUALIZING
THE INVERTED-U
• Facilitative arousal conditions – cognitive
•
•
anxiety is low, self-confidence is high, and
athletes adopt a process orientation.
Debilitative arousal conditions – cognitive
anxiety is high, self-confidence is low, and
athletes adopt an outcome orientation.
Neutral arousal conditions – low-moderate
cognitive anxiety, moderate to high selfconfidence, and a moderate outcome
orientation.
AROUSAL-PERFORMANCE
RELATIONSHIP:
FACILITATIVE CONDITIONS
High
Performance
Low
Arousal
High
AROUSAL-PERFORMANCE
RELATIONSHIP:
NEUTRAL CONDITIONS
Performance
1
2
Arousal
• Individualized ZOF
3
AROUSAL-PERFORMANCE
RELATIONSHIP:
DEBILITATIVE CONDITIONS
High Cognitive Anxiety
Performance
1
2
Arousal
3
SPORT ENERGY
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
• Education Phase
General Education
 Personal Education through Awareness

• Acquisition Phase
Develop Energy Management Skills
 Adjust Your Optimal Energy Zone

• Practice and Rehearsal Phases
AWARENESS TRAINING
• First step in energy management program.
• Use imagery to vividly recall your best
performance
• evaluate performance states
• Next use imagery to recall your worst
performance
• evaluate performance states
• Compare your responses
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
TRAINING ASSIGNMENT
• Total Relaxation

imagery, self-directed and progressive muscle relaxation
combined with diaphragmic breathing.
• Conditioned Relaxation Training

pair relaxation cue word with diaphragmic breathing and
feelings of deep relaxation 15-20 times
• Practical/Rapid Relaxation

3-5 seconds combination of 1-2 diaphragmic breaths coupled
with repeating your cue word twice