IV. Attention, Stress, and Arousal
Definition:
Arousal, stress, motivation, activation, and anxiety all generally imply a highly energized, alert state. These terms are used interchangeably in the literature. 
IV. Attention, Stress, and Arousal
Arousal and activation can be thought of as a dimension that describes the extent to which the individual is energized.
IV. Attention, Stress, and Arousal
Stress and motivation can be thought of as having a directional component. Stress is usually considered to be a negative emotional state, leading to avoidance or escape from unpleasant situations.
IV. Attention, Stress, and Arousal
Motivation implies movement toward some goal, as with motivation to win a game.
The Inverted-U Hypothesis 
(Yerkes-Dodson Law, 1908)
As arousal increases performance increases. However, a point is reached where increased arousal leads to decreased performance (see following Figure depicting this relationship).

The Inverted-U Hypothesis 

Practise champions 
If arousal increases dramatically some students can't come up to their performance possibilities. The next diagram shows student A who isn't aroused enough to reach his personal best. Though A and B show the same performance results student B needs (psychological help & tools) to decrease his arousal .
Practise champions

Easterbrook's Cue-Utilization Hypothesis
The individual is assumed to take in cues from the environment or from his own movements that aid in future performances. As arousal increases there is a reduction of cues used to regulate performance. At some optimal level of arousal, the most effective combination of attention to relevant cues seems to exist. 
Easterbrook's Cue-Utilization Hypothesis (Continued) 
However, when the arousal level is further increased, there is a further restriction in the range of cues used, many relevant cues are not included, and performance deteriorates. 

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Soviel ich weiß, ist der Stoff spätestens ab hier für die Prüfung nicht mehr relevant!

Perceptual Narrowing 
Suggests that increased arousal causes increased narrowing of the attentional focus, with a progressive elimination of input from the more peripheral aspects of the environment (Kahneman, 1973)
Perceptual Narrowing (Continued)
The term peripheral need not refer to events that are actually "in" the periphery (e.g., in peripheral vision), but the term refers to events that are relatively improbable.
Perceptual Narrowing (Continued)
In addition to the reduced range of cues that can be attended to as arousal increases, there is an increase in the number of shifts in attention to different input sources. This effect is called distractibility.
Arousal And The Nature Of The Task
Simpler or less complex tasks can be performed at higher levels with greater arousal than more complex tasks. 
Arousal level for peak performance varies with task difficulty (hard or easy task).
See the following figure:
Arousal & Task Complexity

State and Trait anxiety
 
State anxiety can vary from minute to minute and from task to task. 
State and Trait anxiety (continued)
Trait anxiety characterizes an individual's general tendency towards worry and anxiety. High trait-anxious individuals are those, who tend under the specific conditions of a task or test situation, to become highly aroused.That is, high trait-anxious people tend to be the most state- anxious on any given motor task.
Trait anxiety
A person who is high trait-anxious will reach an optimum level of arousal before a low trait- anxious individual. For this reason care must be taken in applying motivational techniques uniformly across all individuals.
Level of learning
Well learned tasks can be performed best with a higher level of arousal then less well learned tasks. See the following figure:
Arousal and Task Learning

Arousal and Task Learning
There is an optimal level of arousal for the best performance of any task:
easy tasks - relatively high
difficult tasks - low arousal
other tasks - moderate level 
Attention and performance
What are
practical applications
for the principles of attention?