Yerkes-Dodson Law
Definition
The Yerkes-Dodson law is a psychological principle that states performance on tasks improves up to a point with increased physiological or mental arousal (stress), but beyond that point, further increases in arousal can lead to decreased performance.
Analogy
Think of the Yerkes-Dodson law like heating up your food in the microwave. A little heat warms it up perfectly, but too much heat and your food gets overcooked or even burnt. Similarly, a certain level of stress can enhance our performance, but too much stress can hinder it.
Related terms
Arousal Theory: This theory suggests that people are driven to perform actions in order to maintain an optimal level of physiological arousal.
Stress: A state of mental or emotional strain resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.
Performance Anxiety: The anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience.
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Practice Questions (6)
- What limitation of the Yerkes-Dodson Law makes it inadequate at fully explaining human performance under stress?
- How does stress affect memory retrieval according to the Yerkes-Dodson Law?
- According to the Yerkes-Dodson law, what relationship exists between arousal levels and performance?
- What does the Yerkes-Dodson law state about arousal and performance?
- How does Yerkes-Dodson Law explain the relationship between arousal levels and performance?
- How does the Yerkes-Dodson law explain the relationship between arousal levels and performance?
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