Anxiety - Cheat Sheet
Conceptual Confusion
Arousal? Anxiety?
Many people use the terms arousal, stress, and anxiety interchangeably, but in sports
psychology, it is possible to distinguish between them.
Arousal is a blend of physiological and psychological activity in a person (there are physical
and mental components to arousal)
The intensity of arousal falls along a continuum from not at all aroused (i.e., comatose) to
completely aroused (i.e., frenzied).
Highly aroused individuals are mentally and physically activated (frenzied end).
Arousal is not automatically associated with pleasure or displeasure (unlike anxiety).
Anxiety
‘a negative emotional state’
Anxiety is a negative emotional state characterised by nervousness, worry, and
apprehension and associated with activation or arousal of the body.
Although anxiety is perceived as negative, it does not necessarily affect performance
negatively.
In sport, anxiety refers to “an unpleasant psychological state in reaction to perceived stress
concerning the performance of a task under pressure” (Cheng, Hardy, Markland, 2009, p.
271).
Cognitive Or Somatic?
‘the thought and physical components of anxiety’
Anxiety has a thought component (e.g., worry, stress and apprehension) called cognitive
anxiety.
Anxiety also has a component called somatic anxiety, which is the degree of physical
activation perceived (e.g., sweaty palms, trembling etc).
State and trait anxiety also exist.
We can refer to anxiety as a stable personality component or as a changing mood state.
Conceptual Confusion
Arousal? Anxiety?
Many people use the terms arousal, stress, and anxiety interchangeably, but in sports
psychology, it is possible to distinguish between them.
Arousal is a blend of physiological and psychological activity in a person (there are physical
and mental components to arousal)
The intensity of arousal falls along a continuum from not at all aroused (i.e., comatose) to
completely aroused (i.e., frenzied).
Highly aroused individuals are mentally and physically activated (frenzied end).
Arousal is not automatically associated with pleasure or displeasure (unlike anxiety).
Anxiety
‘a negative emotional state’
Anxiety is a negative emotional state characterised by nervousness, worry, and
apprehension and associated with activation or arousal of the body.
Although anxiety is perceived as negative, it does not necessarily affect performance
negatively.
In sport, anxiety refers to “an unpleasant psychological state in reaction to perceived stress
concerning the performance of a task under pressure” (Cheng, Hardy, Markland, 2009, p.
271).
Cognitive Or Somatic?
‘the thought and physical components of anxiety’
Anxiety has a thought component (e.g., worry, stress and apprehension) called cognitive
anxiety.
Anxiety also has a component called somatic anxiety, which is the degree of physical
activation perceived (e.g., sweaty palms, trembling etc).
State and trait anxiety also exist.
We can refer to anxiety as a stable personality component or as a changing mood state.
