Russon, Robert
1.39 MB of textual records (PDF)
Audience: Undergraduate. -- Dissertation: Thesis (B. A.). -- Algoma University, 2009. -- Submitted in partial fulfillment of course requirements for PSYC 4105. -- Includes references and figures. -- Contents: Thesis.
Sport psychology is concerned with the optimal level of arousal theory, which states that high levels of arousal are optimal for easy tasks, and that low levels of arousal are optimal for difficult tasks. Past research has focused on qualitative task differences between sports, or on quantitative task differences within a sport, and has lacked addressing arousal in team sports. In this study, I addressed these concerns by comparing an easy task and a hard task within a team sport: basketball. Arousal was induced in 29 varsity athletes by offering a cash bonus to the highest scoring individual. I hypothesized that according to the optimal level of arousal theory, success on the easy task would increase, and success on the difficult task would decrease. There were no significant differences when arousal was manipulated, possibly as a result of over arousal that may have led to a ceiling effect.
