Arousal gradient hypothesis.
A two-dimensional view of arousal was operationalized by controlling gradient and intensity of exercise-induced arousal in two experiments with 80 undergraduate men. Significant cognitive performance decrement on a visual-search task occurred at high arousal intensity in the steep-gradient arousal conditions. The rate at which arousal increased, not intensity of arousal, led to decrement in performance. Exp. 2 eliminated the alternative explanation that increased movement and exertion demands in the steep-gradient condition of Exp. 1 led to decrement in performance. Analysis indicated no significant differences in participants' affect, and no significant correlations between participants' affect and performance in either experiment.
Stankard
William
W
University of Connecticut, USA. William.Stankard@dickinsonstate.edu
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology