Rita's favorite college football team made it to the national championship game with a near perfect win-loss record. Though her team was known for playing a smart game with few errors throughout the season, she was surprised and disappointed to see them making so many errors in the big game. The players just couldn't seem to settle down and play the type of game for which they were known. In the end, they lost by a large margin. Which of the following theories or principles of motivation could best account for the behavior of Rita's favorite team?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Though the team was entirely capable, as evidenced by its play during the season, they couldn't settle down and were making errors. Their arousal was likely too high, which led to the errors and poor performance. Arousal level and performance are part of the Yerkes-Dodson law.

Rita's Favorite College Football Team Made It to the National