The Arousal-Performance Relationship Revisited

Abstract

William P. Morgan reviews the arguments associated with trait psychology, in particular in the field of sport psychology. He describes the existing research including several models and their ability to predict behavior, emphasizing the viability of a mental health model. In addition, Morgan discusses a role of perception and cognition in sports and physical activity. Finally, trait theory is placed in a realistic perspective, to be applied in a multidimensional framework in studying prediction of behavior. The article by Daniel M. Landers involves a reexamination of the arousal-performance relationship. The role of attention in performing most sports skills is discussed, with particular emphasis on the attentional narrowing phenomenon. In addition, Landers discusses the measurement of anxiety, recommending that it be viewed as a multidimensional construct consisting of physical, behavioral, and cognitive components.