Optimizing Performance: Understanding the Yerkes-Dodson Law and the Relationship Between Arousal and Task Performance in Psychology

Yerkes-Dodson Law

the principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases

The Yerkes-Dodson Law is a theory in psychology that explains the relationship between arousal and performance. According to this theory, there is an optimal level of arousal that leads to the best performance on a task.

The law suggests that as arousal or stress levels increase, performance first improves, but then reaches a point where further increases in arousal or stress actually impair performance. The point at which the best performance is achieved is referred to as the optimal arousal level.

For tasks that require little mental effort, a higher level of arousal is optimal for good performance. But as the difficulty and complexity of the task increases, the optimal arousal level becomes lower.

In practical terms, this can mean that in situations such as an exam, if a student is overly anxious or stressed, their performance may suffer. On the flip side, if a student is too relaxed or apathetic, their performance may also suffer.

Overall, the Yerkes-Dodson Law suggests that there is a sweet spot for optimal performance, which is somewhere along the curve of arousal levels. The trick is to find that sweet spot for each individual and situation.

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