Inverted-U theory | Physical education | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

Put these statements in order, in terms of how alert the person is. Lowest level of alertness first.

1

⇔

someone in a deep sleep

2

⇔

someone awake but feeling tired and lethargic

3

⇔

someone feeling alert and ready for any challenge

4

⇔

someone so intensely excited they can't control themselves
Which of these is most likely to get someone very excited or anxious?

getting ready to relax after a long training run

preparing to play in a cup final in front of a big crowd ✓

meeting friends to play snooker

revising for a GCSE PE test
Which of these needs the most energy and effort to perform it successfully?

archery

football throw-in

cricket bowling

rugby tackle ✓
Which of these describes someone who is 'in the zone'.

they feel sleepy and lacking in energy

the are overstimulated and make unusual decisions

they make all the right decisions and perform well ✓
Match the emotion to the most likely effect on sports performance.

stressed

⇔

makes it harder to focus ✓

relaxed

⇔

helps you to keep calm ✓

focussed

⇔

make good decisions ✓

bored

⇔

become disinterested ✓
Which of these do you think the word inverted means?

turned opposite way from usual ✓

turned on its side

turned inside-out

turned backwards

This inverted-U graph highlights the area known as what?

low arousal

optimal arousal ✓

high arousal
Which of the following best describes the effect of under arousal on performance?

increased motivation and focus

decreased energy and lack of engagement ✓

enhanced reaction time

reduced anxiety
Match the level of arousal to the performance outcome.

optimal arousal

⇔

optimal performance, alert and focused ✓

low arousal

⇔

decreased performance due to lack of energy ✓

high arousal

⇔

decreased performance due to anxiety and stress ✓
Put these statements in the correct order as the inverted-U moves from left to right.

1

⇔

Deep sleep (lowest arousal level)

2

⇔

Too little arousal (lack of energy or focus)

3

⇔

Moderate arousal (optimal performance)

4

⇔

Performance begins to decline (due to excess anxiety or stress)

5

⇔

Too much arousal (stress or anxiety)
Unsporting behaviour is most likely to occur in which level of arousal?

low arousal

optimal arousal

high arousal ✓
Different skills require different optimal levels of arousal. From lowest to highest, put these skills in order of optimal arousal level.

1

⇔

archery

2

⇔

badminton serve

3

⇔

long jump

4

⇔

power lifting

Loading worksheet ...

Loading presentation ...

The inverted-U theory illustrates that performance improves with arousal up to an optimal point and then declines.
The inverted-U graph shows performance on the y-axis, arousal on the x-axis, with a curve shaped like an upside down U.
Optimal performance occurs at a moderate level of arousal. Arousal levels too high or too low can impair performance.
Optimal arousal levels differ according to whether the skill being performed is gross or fine.

The more arousal you have, the better you perform.

The inverted-U theory recognises that after an optimal level of arousal, performance will deteriorate with any further heightening of arsoual levels.

Arousal - a physical (physiological) and mental (psychological) state of alertness/readiness, varying from deep sleep to intense excitement/alertness
Optimal arousal - the arousal level required for peak performance
Inverted-u theory - a theory which relates levels of arousal with performance in sport