Physiological Arousal in AP Psychology

Definition

Physiological arousal refers to the bodily response that occurs in reaction to an event or situation, which can include increased heart rate, sweating, and heightened alertness. It is a physical reaction that prepares our body for action.

Related terms

Fight-or-flight response: This term refers to the automatic physical and psychological response that prepares us to either confront or flee from a threatening situation.

Sympathetic nervous system: This term describes part of our autonomic nervous system that activates our body's fight-or-flight response by releasing stress hormones.

Yerkes-Dodson Law:

This law suggests that performance is optimal at a moderate level of physiological arousal; too much or too little arousal may impair performance.