Sport-related anxiety: current insights

Figures & data

Table 1 Brief descriptions of various models developed to explain sport-related anxiety and its relationship with performance

Inverted-U Hypothesis (Yerkes and Dodson^Citation6)	This view holds that low arousal/anxiety leads to decreases in performance, and increases in arousal/anxiety can facilitate performance up to an optimal level, however, beyond this point additional arousal/anxiety causes performance to decline.
Drive Theory (Hull^Citation7)	This view holds that relationship between situation specific state anxiety and performance is linear; higher anxiety leads to better performance.
Reversal Theory (Apter^Citation8)	This view holds that the ways in which arousal/anxiety affects performance depend on the individual’s own interpretation of their arousal/anxiety levels.
The Conceptual Model of Athletic Performance Anxiety (Smith and Smoll^Citation4)	This view holds that arousal/anxiety can influence individuals’ stress response to a competitive situation, which in turn will influence performance through a range of physiological, behavioral, and/or cognitive responses.
Multi-dimensional Anxiety Theory (Martens et al^Citation9)	This view holds that cognitive state anxiety is negatively related to performance, whereas somatic state anxiety is related to performance in an inverted-U manner.
Catastrophe Theory (Hardy and Parfitt^Citation10)	This view holds that somatic anxiety is related to performance in an inverted-U fashion, but only when the individual has low cognitive state anxiety.
Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning Theory (Hanin^Citation11)	Holds the view that elite-level performers have an optimal zone of arousal/anxiety where they are able to reach peak performances. If their arousal/anxiety is outside the zone (too low or too high), performance will decline.

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ApterMJThe Experience of Motivation: The Theory of Psychological ReversalsLondonAcademic Press1982

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SmithRESmollFLSport performance anxietyLeitenbergHHandbook of Social and Evaluation AnxietyNew York, NYPlenum Press1990417454

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MartensRVealeyRSBurtonDCompetitive Anxiety in SportChampaign, ILHuman Kinetics1990

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HardyLParfittGA catastrophe model of anxiety and performanceBr J Psychol1991821631781873650

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HaninYLEmotions and athletic performance: Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning modelEur Yearbook Sport Psychol199712972

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