S O C I A L M O T I VAT I O N : L E C T U R E S 3 - 4

A R O U S A L & S E N S AT I O N - S E E K I N G
Thurs day, Se p te mbe r 22 , 20 16

WHY IS AROUSAL AN IMPORTANT TOPIC IN MOTIVATION?

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Arousal affects physiological, cognitive, memory, behaviour, and emotional functioning

Arousal is related to stress reactions, emotional responses, and optimal performance
Arousal can be managed and controlled (increasing or decreasing it) under some circumstances
There are two arousal systems corresponding to brain and body
o Each can operate independently or interact. Understanding how they operate can help you adapt to
your environment
o Reticular activating system (RAS): Arouses the brain cortical arousal
o Autonomic nervous system (ANS): Arouses the body
Sympathetic nervous system comes into play, increases your breathing, use energy in the body
to deal with stressors (e.g. need more oxygen your senses get heightened)
o Can have high levels of cortical arousal but lower levels of physiological arousal (e.g. important for
writing an exam; if your physiological arousal is too high during an exam, then you get anxious and
your breathing is too fast)
o Sometimes high levels of physiological arousal (e.g. a routine exercise) but low level cortical arousal
(zoning out)
o Both levels should be low when youre going to bed and trying to sleep
o Competitive sports: involves high levels of both (use of thinking/strategy and physical ability)
Arousal fluctuates in predictable patterns during the day due to circadian and other body rhythms
(BRAC, half day rhythm)
o Level of alertness and optimism changes throughout the day (due to circadian/body rhythms)
Excitation transfer means that emotional arousal from one source can be transferred to and increase
emotional response in a subsequent situation
o When you have one situation when you had a very high arousal, then in the next situation, its not
stressful but youre still aroused from the first situation so its transferred
o E.g. Youre driving to university and suddenly a dog jumps onto the road then you slam on the brakes,
and you stopped in time. Then youre looking for a parking spot, youre waiting with your signal on,
and someone else steals your parking spot. You may be much more angry at that person because of
the previous incident (excitation transfer).
o Romantic arousal can also be affected by excitation transfer (e.g. after watching a scary movie on a
date)
Arousal can be additive, meaning that during high stress days, time out to reduce arousal is recommended

A ro us a l

Level of alertness and activation

Activation of brain and body
State of readiness and energization
Arousal facilitates the processing of information, planning of response and expenditure of energy
Refers to a construct representing the processes involved in alertness, wakefulness, and activation
Processes include cortical (brain activity), behavioural (skeletal muscular system), and autonomic nervous
system
o Calming down parasympathetic system

Assumption: motivated behaviour can be explained by changes in arousal or desire to modify arousal or value of
incentives

E.g. if I hear the sound of crashing glass downstairs do I interpret it as someone breaking into my house or
just my cat knocking over a vase? That has an impact on my level of arousal

When theres a change in our environment could signal something to pay attention to, could be danger
(creates a certain degree of arousal)

4 Phe no me na t hat e licit aro us al:

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Stimulation of sensory systems

Cognitive interpretation of stimuli
o E.g. hearing your name (has a greater effect on us physiologically and cognitively)
Rhythms and cycles of the nervous system (e.g. cycles of attention, circadian rhythms)
Incentives: high value causes higher levels of arousal (heart rate increases with more incentive, when you find
something more appealing)
o See pages 140-144 in Deckers

3) Rhythms and Cycles of the nervous system affect arousal

BRAC (Basic Rest & Activity Cycles):

o 90-120 mins, periods of alertness associated with one hemisphere alternating to the other after a rest
period
o 20 min transition period, then switch to other hemisphere
o Our REM cycles at night occur approx. every 90 mins as well (BRAC may be continuing throughout the
night)

Half day rhythm: sleepiness peaks in midafternoon (e.g. siesta, afternoon naps)
o Graph: more alert when body temperature rises, and at night our body temperature decreases (temp
is lowest at about 4am)
o Lag in body temp. in the afternoon (lowers a bit, so you get sleepy)
o Graph: what time are students most alert for classes? (worst times are 8:30am and 7pm, best are
11:30am or 1pm)

Circadian rhythm: body temperature and alertness

o Graph
o Franken talked about circadian rhythms being 25 hours, but recent research shows it to be shorter;
theres drift
o Mens circadian rhythm: 24:11 hr
o Womens circadian rhythm: 24:05 hr
o Women tend to wake up earlier than men and more likely to have a preference for morning activities
o Studies: people in environment with no clocks or natural light, drift towards natural circadian rhythm
o Body temperature: coldest for women at 3.75 hrs before wake up time, and for men 2.8 hours

When you pull an allnighter, you find yourself being coldest around that time; may start to
hallucinate a bit brain is trying to get into REM

Around 7 or 8am, your temperature starts to rise again and you start to feel a bit better
(although you may crash later)
o Experiments have been done where they cut people off from time cues, and allow them to drift to see
what times the schedule moves to
Melatonin
o Natural hormone, and healthy adults & children get a surge about 30 min before the get sleepy,
triggered by reduction of light
Your level of epinephrine also decreases before bed
o We have trouble sleeping when this hormone is not released at the right time
o Helping children get adjusted to bedtime:

Not good to exercise before bed

Do not want to expose yourself to a lot of light (and blue light) which inhibits the production of
melatonin, and harder to get to sleep (avoid having computers/TVs in childrens rooms) kids
should not watch screens 2 hrs before bed

Dim your house lights about 30min before bedtime (or cover the windows)

Quiet activities 30 min before bedtime (e.g. bedtime story) important to have a bedtime
routine

Natural light entering room in the morning (for wake up time)

Room should be comfortable

Address anxiety, nutrition, illness, etc. (sometimes problems in school)

REM (rapid eye movement) and SWS (slow wave sleep)

o SWS: important for physiological recovery and repair (if youve been in an intense/physical activity
during the day, will likely have more SWS so body can recover), replacement of glycogen supply in the
brain
o REM: critical for memory and learning (important during exam season)

Recommended techniques for jet lag?

o Circadian rhythm is disturbed (traveling to different time zones)
o Franken: when we have our circadian drift, its easier to fly westbound (extending your day, going with
your circadian rhythm) than eastbound (shortening your day, going against your circadian rhythm)
o One good nights sleep can help you recover
o Stick with the routine of the place that youre in
o Exposure to daylight helps reset clock more quickly
o Do some exercise or go for a walk when you arrive
o Eat light meals in new time zone because digestive system needs time to adjust
Table 3-1: Psychological states and their EEG, conscious, and behavioural correlates
Behavioural Continuum
Strong, excited emotion

Electroencephalogram
Desynchronized: low to

State of Awareness
Restricted, divided

Behavioural Efficiency
Poor (lack of control,

(fear, rage, anxiety)

Alert attentiveness

Relaxed wakefulness
Drowsiness

Light sleep

Deep sleep

moderate amplitude, fast

mixed frequencies
Partially synchronized:
mainly fast, low-amplitude
waves
Synchronized: optimal
alpha rhythm
Reduced alpha and
occasional low-amplitude
slow waves
Spindle bursts and slow
waves (larger); loss of
alphas
Large and very slow
waves (synchrony but on
slow time base); random,
irregular pattern

attention, hazy, confusion

Selective attention, but
may vary or shift;
concentration, anticipation,
set
Favours free association
Borderline, partial
awareness; imagery and
reverie; dreamlike states
Markedly reduced
consciousness (loss of
consciousness); dream
state
Complete loss of
awareness (no memory
for stimulation or for
dreams)

freezing up,
disorganization)
Good (efficient, selective,
quick reactions); organized
for serial responses
Good efficiency (routine
reactions and creative
thought)
Poor (uncoordinated,
sporadic, lacking sequential
thinking)
Absent

Absent

Phys io lo g ica l b as is o f aro us a l

See brain diagram
1. RAS (reticular activating system): activates cerebral cortex, information from the senses going through
thalamus and going to different parts of the brain to interpret the stimuli
o However, the sense of smell doesnt go through the thalamus
2. Neurotransmitter systems
3. Autonomic nervous systems

1 ) Re ti cul ar acti vati n g syste m (R AS)

Reticular activating system is located in the core of the brainstem (From

lower border of medulla, through pons and to the upper brainstem)
RAS projects nerves upward to arouse and alert cortex
Unique feature is extremely long axons which go up to thalamus,
hypothalamus, cerebellum, and cortex
Sensory input activates the RAS it integrates brain activity to help produce
appropriate motor response
Stimulation of the RAS produces beta waves (i.e. same cortical activity as
when a loud noise occurs) see diagram
o Ready to deal with the environment
o Do you want beta waves or alpha waves when listening to a
lecture? When you start daydreaming and stop paying attention,
you may have switched to alpha waves
o Beta: low amplitude, high frequency
o Alpha: high amplitude, low frequency more relaxed state
o Stage 3 and 4 sleep: delta waves (slow wave sleep, lower brain activity physiological repairs taking
place)
E.g. youre sleeping and your phone rings at 3am, you process that its your ringtone instead of your alarm
sound, so RAS helps you direct your response to reach and pick up your phone (appropriate motor response)
rather than turning off your alarm

Impact on Sleep

Role of RAS: innervate the cortex but also get your act together in terms of making a motor response

What would happen in REM sleep if you were able to move around and have control of your body? could get
injured
o People are almost always paralyzed during REM sleep muscles are atonic (without tone), and reticular
formation inhibits motor neurons so that you cant act out your dreams with movement (at most,
maybe some murmuring)
o May have experienced a continuation of paralysis even if youre awake/half awake that means there
was a delay (leftover effect of REM and paralysis)
o May also experience hallucinations if youre only half awake while being paralyzed

Narcolepsy: people suddenly fall into REM brain activity, become paralyzed, and fall to the floor (if they were
standing)

*Note for Midterm: know neurotransmitter table, dont need to know brain anatomy in detail but know the reticular
activating system

2 ) Ne urotr ans mi tte rs i nvol ve d i n arous al

Three systems of neurons play important roles in alert wakefulness: those involving the neurotransmitters
norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and serotonin
The neurons releasing norepinephrine may be more important for vigilance and attention; those releasing
acetylcholine and serotonin may be more important for motor activity/behaviour
Acetycholine: involved in many neural pathways from the RAS to thalamus
o High levels of acetylcholine in the hippocampus and frontal cortex are related to high levels of motor
activity, alertness, and behavioural arousal
Serotonin: has a complex function (excitatory and inhibitory)
o Serotonin activity may contribute to reducing arousal and generally behavioural effects are inhibitory
o Helps to moderate emotions
o Found in dairy products (e.g. warm milk), poultry
Neurotransmitters and Moods: carefully note Table 2-1 in Franken pg. 35 for the relationship between
various neurotransmitters, moods, and brain activity

Neurotransmitt
er
Serotonin
Dopamine

Norepinephrin
e
(noradrenaline
)
Epinephrine
(adrenaline)
GABA

Endorphins

Main effect

Examples

More info

:
:
:
:

Depression
Euphoria
Depression
Euphoria

Has a calming effect

negative mood
positive mood
negative mood
positive mood

: negative mood
: positive mood &
activity

Depression
Euphoria

: brain and body activation

(no direct link to mood)
Inhibitory transmitter
Helps to regulate:
1. Anxiety
2. Information
processing
(prevent
overstimulation)
: positive mood
Natural painkillers;
Helps recover from
anxiety/depression

Release triggered by:

1. Recreational drugs (e.g.
amphetamine)
2. Searching for and finding reward (e.g.
food reward, gambling, falling in love)
Exercise increases levels of
norepinephrine/epinephrine
recommended treatment for depression
Some neurons have to stop other neurons
from responding (or else there will be too
much confusion in the brain)

Exercise will help with endorphins, which

can help people recover from negative
mood

3 ) Auto nomi c N e rvous syste m (se e di a gra m)

Parasympathetic: calming effect

Sympathetic: arousing effect
During heightened arousal the sympathetic system is dominant, results in increases in heart rate, liver
releases glucose for energy, fats released, perspiration increases, digestion halts, pupils dilate, muscles tense,
etc.
o Cant digest when youre super aroused/nervous/anxious
Hypothalamus: stimulates activity in the autonomic nervous system
o It also stimulates the endocrine system, including the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine
from the adrenal gland
o This provides a chemical backup for the sympathetic nervous system
o These hormones are also associated with emotional arousal and stress response
o Both epinephrine and norepinephrine produce RAS arousal
The ANS results in a quick and short-lived physiological arousal response, endocrine system gives a slow but
longer-lived physiological arousal response
o ANS: Can turn on as quickly as neural transmission (very fast reaction response)
o Endocrine system: hormonal back-up response system (slower, lingering effect)

A ro us a l as re wa rd and ave rs io n
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Arousal is a function of how stimulating ones environment is

People engage in behaviour to intentionally increase or decrease their level of arousal
When underaroused, increase in environmental stimulation are pleasurable; decreases are aversive
When overaroused, increases in stimulation are aversive while decreases are pleasurable

Significance of the inverted U relationship between arousal and performance (Yerkes Dodson law)
See pages 144-147 in Deckers on the performance arousal relationship
1. Optimal level of arousal exists where behavior will be most efficient
2. Continued increases in arousal (beyond a moderate/optimal level) begin to interfere with performance
3. Degree of arousal can be task specific:
i.
Lower arousal is better for high degree of cognitive difficulty
ii.
Higher arousal is better for easy, well-learned tasks
4. Low level of arousal = low quality and intensity of performance (not trying very hard)
5. Performance improves and intensity increases as arousal increases from low to moderate
6. Increasing from moderate level, performance quality and efficiency falls off (but not necessarily intensity)
o High levels of arousal: person may be agitated and trying hard to perform, but may be making more
mistakes (cannot control their thoughts/behaviour efficiently)
Graph:

Relationship between performance efficiency and arousal

Moderate arousal is best for a number of activities
High arousal: starting to get anxious, problems with attention and memory (e.g. test anxiety)
Low arousal: not anxious enough (person who didnt study for exam and doesnt care)

Co nne ct io ns t o aff e ct , se ns at io n s ee k ing and avo id ance

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Moderate level of arousal experience of pleasure

Low level of stimulation: isolation, bored, restless (attracted to more exciting situations)
Too much stimulation: tension, apprehension, stress, anxiety (may move away from too much stimulation, tune
out)
People become motivated to make their arousal level comfortable (may go towards or turn away from certain
situations)
Underarousal and negative affect: people seek out risk-taking or increased stimulation (to experience positive
affect)
Overarousal and negative affect: individual avoids increases in environmental stimulation (decreased
stimulation leads to experience of positive affect)
Stimulation of overaroused individual = stress, frustration, and hassle
What would these overaroused people be attracted to? reading, go for walk, quiet music, go on vacation to
relax
What sorts of activities would underaroused people be attracted to? play upbeat music, go to party,
adventurous activities, sports
Significance and application:
o Inverted-U can be used to predict when increases and decreases in stimulation will yield to approach
behaviour and positive affect and when increases or decreases will yield avoidance behaviour and
negative affect
Sensory deprivation studies
o Became irritable, very unpleasant experience
o Performance on tests depreciated
Sensory deprivation in real life (when not given enough stimulating activities)
o Zoo animals
o Elderly people in nursing homes

Eys e nck s t he o ry o f int ro ve rs io n- ex t ra ve rs io n and aro us al

Introverts are more aroused physiologically than extraverts
o There is a lot going on in the brain, so they like to withdraw sometimes, threshold for comfort for extra
socializing tends to be lower than extroverts
On tasks of moderate difficulty, introverts will perform:
o Better than extraverts in non-stimulating conditions (quiet environments)
o Equal to extraverts in moderately stimulating conditions
o Less well under high stimulation or stress

Extraverts did better on GRE type items than introverts when they had both a time pressure and caffeine
(the more arousal the better)
o Introverts did best when they have no time pressure or caffeine

Introverts and extraverts do not appear to differ in basal arousal levels of the brain
o But introverts are more sensitive and more quickly and highly aroused (will react more strongly to
stimulation)
o Introverts are more responsive to caffeine and nicotine and need higher doses of sedatives
o Pre-frontal cortex is thinner for extroverts (less behavioural control, more risk-taking, more impulsive)
o Introverts have more neurons and density in the cortex

Thicker pre-control cortex for introverts: more neurons, stimulating and communicating, more
control, not risk-taking, prefers calmness
o Newer research in brain imaging: Deckers cites that introverts brain is chronically more aroused and
they do have higher resting brain activity

Extraverts need external stimulation to bring arousal to an optimal level, they become quickly bored by low
levels of stimulation
o E.g. Study in open areas, listen to music while studying
Introverts are more motivated to maintain or reduce their arousal level
o They may prefer to avoid frequent social contacts and maintain an orderly, planned life

Introverts seem to have more sensitive nervous system and are more responsive to rewards and
punishments than extraverts

Impulsivity seems to be one of the components of extraversion that influences arousal since
extraverts tendency to do new and different things produces change and therefore increases arousal

Extraverts prefer environments with greater background stimulation and opportunity to socialize (e.g.
group study in an open area vs. study carrels, listening to music while studying)
Introvert Quiz book by Susan Cain

Advantages of introverted personality style

o Good listeners, observers
o Good attention and concentration
o Prefer to focus on one task at a time
o Delay gratification
o Have a strong conscious
o Make thoughtful, cautious choices

Introverts:
o Make better leaders in situations where employees are skilled and take initiative
o Are sometimes more creative and innovative
o People who are more sensitive to their environments and more sensitive to novelty in general (not just
unfamiliar social situations)
o It is related to high reactivity as identified by Jerome Kagan (and he says is due to a sensitive
amygdala) and an active BIS system

Thurs day, Se p te mbe r 29 , 20 16

SENSATION SEEKING

Definition: the need for varied, novel, and complex sensations and experiences and the willingness to
take physical and social risks for the sake of such experiences
Key element: willingness to take risks
4 related but independent factors

TYPES
DEFINITION
1. Thrill & Adventure Willing to pursue risky but socially acceptable activities (e.g. skydiving, fast driving)
seeking
2. Experience
Value variety and engage in activities not part of conventional lifestyle such as travel, artistic
seeking
pursuits, experiment with drugs to experience different sensations
Need to seek opportunities to lose inhibitions through variety, unpredictability, drinking,
gambling, sexual variety
3. Disinhibition
Not concerned about others judgments
Keeping options open is more important to them that dependability
Low tolerance for repetition/routine
4. Boredom
susceptibility
Seek out stimulation and change
Difference between extraverts and sensation seekers:
o Extroverts enjoy the company of many people and enjoy parties
o Sensation seekers are susceptible to boredom and constantly looking for new experiences and intense
stimulation (enjoy a jolt to the senses)
Sensation seeking and impulsiveness are negatively correlated with MAO levels
o MAO: serves to break down neurotransmitters quickly

MAO levels are low in sensation seekers, meaning that lots of amines are available (e.g.
dopamine, norepinephrine) making the BAS system active and the brains reward centres available
and sensitive to the presence of rewards
o High sensation seekers: experience a greater high when they get rewards and use drugs
o Low sensation seekers: are less responsive and unlikely to repeat or be attracted to the experience
o However, sensation seekers will develop a tolerance to the same old rewards and will need to
seek out new stimulation/rewards
Scoring for short version of sensation seeking scale presented in class: one point for each of the following
o 1A, 2A, 3A, 4B, 5A, 6B, 7A, 8A, 9B, 10B, 11A, 12A, 13B
o 0-3: very low on sensation seeking my score
o 12-13: very high
o

Je ro me K ag ans t imid it y t heo ry: inhib it e d vs . uninh ib it ed child re n

Kagan can detect distinct patterns of approach/avoidance behaviour and sensitivity to stimuli in young infants
that carries over into childhood and adolescence
Inhibited children are highly reactive to environmental stimuli, they can become easily aroused and/or anxious
o Their sympathetic nervous system turns on more frequently and they can experience higher levels of
autonomic arousal
He postulates that this is due to excitability of the amygdala (affects response to threats, and emotions such
as fear, anxiety)
If stressed, they can also experience higher levels of cortisol which can result in allergies or illnesses

Video (Secret Fears: Overcoming Phobias)

Stage fright with singing on stage

Therapies
o Know its irrational but when the fear is happening, it

Behaviour therapy: exposure +

dominates their lives (rational vs. irrational battle)
extinction
o Behaviour therapy: focuses on symptoms

Cognitive-behaviour therapy
o Strategies: Deep breathing

Advancements: re-create situation in virtual reality (e.g. using it to help fear of flying)

Severe social phobia: more extreme and doesnt go away, cry when people talk to them, hide
Video:

Jerome Kagans timidity (with David Suzuki)

Inhibited children: highly reactive children
Anxiety has a genetic component
Can see it from a very young age, even infants
Although they usually dont become extroverts, over time, they learn to cope with different environments and
become more confident

1) What are the specific behaviours (differences) of the inhibited vs. uninhibited children?

Two babies: looking at same thing, but inhibited baby is uncomfortable, thrashing arms

Inhibited: fearful, timid, highly reactive, shy, subdued

o reluctant to explore, clinging to mother, apprehension from being in new/unfamiliar room
o Instructed to rip up the postcard, and scribble in this book (compliant, quiet, with neutral/worried
expression)

Uninhibited: fearless, bold, calm/curious, sociable, excited

o leaves mother at once to explore, no sign of avoidance/apprehension
o Rips up postcard more vigorously, and scribbles happily in the book (not as intimidated by the
situation)
2) Advice for parents if they have an inhibited child:

Dont want to overprotect inhibited children (make it harder for them to be more sociable) treat them with
the philosophy that I recognize that youre easily anxious/aroused, but thats tough, and Im going to help you
become ready for life

Gentle pushing to unfamiliar environments, but not allowing them to withdraw

Role-playing scenarios, develop skills that child can use in unfamiliar environments

L imit s to o pt im al s t imulat io n t heo ry

Inverted-u relationship between arousal and affect

Momentary experiences of high or low arousal are not aversive

o Prolonged levels are uncomfortable however

The curve describes autonomic arousal well but may not be as clearly related to cortical arousal
o High levels of cortical arousal (e.g. problem solving) often pleasurable

Even short-term autonomic arousal can be pleasurable sometimes (e.g. challenging sports)

Optimal arousal may depend on what goals people are pursuing: need for achievement (telic) or pleasure
(paratelic)

o Level of arousal needs to be appropriate to current goal to be experienced as pleasurable

o i.e. low arousal/relaxation for achievement; high arousal/excitement for pleasure seeking
Optimal arousal levels are influenced by temperament (e.g. extraversion, sensation-seeking)

E ast e rb ro ok s Cue Ut iliz at io n H ypo t he s is

The amount of info (cues) utilized declines with increases in arousal

See pages 150-151 in Deckers and 123 in Franken

LOW AROUSAL
Attention is broad and inclusive
We scan the whole environment and
we process a lot of the available info
Good for problem solving

HIGH AROUSAL
Attention becomes narrow and selective
Attend to central cues and ignore peripheral ones

Attention is reorganized to focus on threat cues (relevant to survival)

Bad for problem solving tasks: may not process all important info, focusing
on narrow aspect and missing useful details

Helpful for simple tasks: focus on the task relevant info

May jump to conclusions and not make a thorough scan of the environment

H ot / co o l me mo ry sys t e ms (see Deckers pg. 151)

Hot system: amygdala fear response involved

Cool system: localized in hippocampus
o Works best under high arousal (reactions, dealing
o Memory of events occurring in space and time
with danger)
o Efficiency, works well under low levels of arousal
o Rising slope of efficiency
o Does not work well under high levels of arousal
o Remember details about danger, stress, threats
MANAGING AROUSAL
o Believed to be responsible for memories of PTSD,
1 ) Tr ait a nx iet y:
stressful/traumatic events

Learn to appraise situations as challenging rather than threatening

Focus on the task rather than your reactions to the task
o Self-preoccupied intrusive thinking: instead of thinking how badly youre feeling (hard to breathe,
feeling nauseous) need to re-focus on the task
Seek out positive (reinforcing) experiences rather than making decisions based on avoiding situations
Positive thinking can help anxious people reduce arousal and negative affect
Anxious people may need to follow systematic relaxation techniques on a regular basis to lower arousal
Use distraction to eliminate worry and rumination

2 ) Pe rfo rm ance :

With very high levels of arousal, attention becomes focused on threat and survival cues, or self-image
concerns
o Gaining control over arousal can help to gain control over attention
Centering: control breathing so that you breathe in for a shorter count than you breathe out (e.g.
count in for 2; out for 4)
o Arousal can be increased by reversing the process
When dealing with an unfamiliar event or situation, find some way to get more information or familiarize
yourself with the situation before your performance
Preparation reduces anxiety and distraction

3 ) Ti me man age me nt :

Use your alert time to do your most cognitively difficult tasks

o Routine tasks and chores should be saved for your less alert times
Make lists to deal with task overload
o Focus on one task at a time
o Set priorities based on your most important goals
If a task seems overwhelming, break it down into manageable units

4 ) Ph ys ical manag e me nt :

Use exercise as either a stimulant or relaxant depending on your needs

o Exercise can reduce anxiety, stress reaction, and nervous energy while promoting better quality of
sleep
o Alternatively, it can provide excitement, challenge, and reduce boredom by providing social contact,
competition, and thrill seeking
Watch caffeine consumption when under stress or having trouble sleeping
Recognize sensory overload and develop adaptive (rather than dysfunctional) mechanisms to reduce it
Arousal from different sources is additive (i.e. pooled)

You need to reduce arousal several times during a stressful day to keep it manageable (e.g. short
breaks or relaxation)

Th aye r: 2 Typ es o f A ro us a l Syst e ms re lat e d to M oo d a nd Pe rfo rm ance

1.
2.
3.
4.

Energetic arousal (calm energy): sensation of energy and vigour

Tense arousal (tense energy): feelings of tension, anxiety, or fearfulness in the face of real or imagined
danger
Calm tiredness (tired and relaxed)
Tense tiredness (anxious and exhausted): rough and tiring day, but so tense that you have trouble going to
sleep
Both are types of arousal but have a very different subjective experience
Problems are perceived as solvable with low tension-high energy states (e.g. during mid-morning); and
unsolvable anytime of day during high tension-low energy states (e.g. before dinnertime)
o Optimism varies with energy tension states (tend to feel more optimistic during mid-morning)
o If you have personal problems to deal with, try to tackle them more during mid-morning

Energetic arousal (calm

energy)

Sensation of energy and

vigour

Disposition to move, to
act, or be physically
active

Closely associated with

gross motor activity
(e.g. mowing the lawn)

AROUSAL
Tense arousal (tense energy)

feelings of tension, anxiety, or

fearfulness in the face of real or
imagined danger
Also a preparation for emergency
action (fight or flight) or
restraint/inhibition as demanded
by the situation
Or perhaps a freezing,
restraint, inhibition BIS
response to check out the
environment to see whats going
on
E.g. when boss says I need to
see you in my office now

TIREDNESS
Calm tiredness
Tense tiredness

Tired and relaxed

e.g. after
vigorous exercise

Anxious and
exhausted
e.g. rough and tiring
day, but so tense that
you have trouble
going to sleep

Combinations of energetic arousal and tense arousal systems result in various energy-mood states

calm-energy: pleasurable, a good mood

tired-tenseness: unpleasant, a bad mood

calm-tiredness: completely relaxed, e.g. after vigorous exercise

See pg. 142 in Deckers, and visual chart in coursepack
Table 6.1: listen to 57:00
Assignment: Owl & Lark
Listen to beginning of Oct 6 lecture
Students who are owls prefer to choose a night class