Anxiety

• What is anxiety defined as?

  A state of apprehension or worry towards a task
• What are the impacts of anxiety on performance?

  • Lack of concentration
  • De-motivation
  • Overly aggressive behavior
  • Poor technique
• What is state anxiety?

  Anxiety arising from a specific situation due to pressure of trying to win
• Give an example of state anxiety.

  Worry about taking a deciding penalty kick
• What is trait anxiety?

  Anxiety that is innate and felt in all situations
• What are somatic responses to anxiety?

  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Raised heart rate
  • Irritability
• What are cognitive responses to anxiety?

  • Loss of focus
  • Indecision
  • Negative thoughts
  • Feelings of weakness
• How do somatic responses differ from cognitive responses in anxiety?

  Somatic responses are physical, cognitive are mental
• If an athlete feels nauseous before a competition, what type of response is this?

  Somatic response
• If a performer has negative thoughts about their abilities, what type of response is this?

  Cognitive response
• What is meant by the zone of optimal functioning?

  where an athlete's anxiety/arousal levels are at the optimum level and therefore give their best performance
• What factors can affect the zone of optimal functioning?

  1. personality type
  2. task type
  3. stage of learning