Which of the following describes the Yerkes-Dodson law?
A) An individual’s belief in his own capabilities or capacities to complete a task influences his ability to complete the task.
B) Humans experience a spectrum of needs ranging from basic biological needs to social needs to self-actualization.
C) Deviations from homeostasis create physiological needs that result in psychological drive states that direct behavior to meet the need and ultimately bring the system back to homeostasis.
D) Simple tasks are performed best when arousal levels are relatively high, yet complex tasks are performed best when arousal levels are low.
Answer: D) Simple tasks are performed best when arousal levels are relatively high, yet complex tasks are performed best when arousal levels are low.
The Yerkes-Dodson Law has stated that the performance levels of individuals can increase with the mental or physiological arousal up to a certain point. When the levels of arousal become high, the performance levels can decrease. The relationship is depicted by the bell-shaped curve which can increase and decrease based on the high arousal levels. This law has also stated that the simple tasks can be performed in the best way when the levels of arousal are high. On the other hand, complex tasks can be performed in the best way when the levels of arousal are low. The Yerkes-Dodson Law was developed by the psychologists John Dillingham Dodson and Robert M. Yerkes in the year 1908. A major example of this is the ways by which the law can operate and the anxiety levels that an individual experiences before any exam. The optimal stress levels can help individuals to focus on their tests and remembering the important information that has been studied. The reduction of anxiety levels is important for enhancing the experiences of individuals before their exams. Increased anxiety can lead to increased difficulty levels of the individuals to provide their concentration and thereby remembering correct answers as well. The empirical relationship that can be formed between the performance and arousal is considered to be the most important aspect of this law. The law provides appropriate information based on performance enhancement based on the mental arousal and the physiological arousal levels up to a certain point. The relationship developed between the aspects of task performance and stress is clearly depicted by this law and it plays an important role in providing clear understanding based on different aspects of stress that can influence the performance levels of individuals.
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