Arousal Theories, Anxiety, and Fear of Crashing My Bike (Podcast)

by Brian Sather, created Apr 8 2009 - 3:53pm, updated Apr 8 2009 - 3:54pm

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Definitions:

  • Arousal is a blend of psychological and psychological activation, varying in intensity along a continuum.
  • Anxiety is a negative emotional state with feelings of worry, nervousness, and apprehension associated with activation or arousal of the body.

Recognizing and taking advantage of your fear instinct: The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker (1997)

Theories of Arousal

  1. Drive theory
  2. Inverted-U hypothesis
  3. Individualized zones of optimal functioning (IZOF)
  4. Multidimensional anxiety theory
  5. Catastrophe model
  6. Reversal theory
  7. Anxiety direction and intensity

Concentration techniques

  • Thought Stopping
  • Thought Parking
  • Self-talk: Negative to Positive
  • Shift attention
  • Rehearsing and practice

Content based on:

Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2007). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (4th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.