What does the Inverted U Law describe about anxiety and performance?

What does the Inverted U Law describe about anxiety and performance?

• A. Anxiety reduces heart rate and enhances fine motor skills
• B. Anxiety increases heart rate and inhibits fine motor skills
• C. Stress has no effect on motor skills
• D. High arousal improves fine motor performance

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how arousal affects performance. The inverted U law says performance rises with arousal to a peak, then falls as arousal becomes too high. Anxiety elevates physiological arousal, such as heart rate. For tasks that require fine motor control, too much arousal generally hurts accuracy and control. So the statement that anxiety increases heart rate and inhibits fine motor skills fits this pattern: it reflects high arousal leading to poorer performance. The other options contradict how arousal and motor performance relate (arousal doesn’t reliably reduce heart rate, anxiety does affect motor skills, and high arousal doesn’t consistently improve fine motor performance).

The main idea is how arousal affects performance. The inverted U law says performance rises with arousal to a peak, then falls as arousal becomes too high. Anxiety elevates physiological arousal, such as heart rate. For tasks that require fine motor control, too much arousal generally hurts accuracy and control. So the statement that anxiety increases heart rate and inhibits fine motor skills fits this pattern: it reflects high arousal leading to poorer performance. The other options contradict how arousal and motor performance relate (arousal doesn’t reliably reduce heart rate, anxiety does affect motor skills, and high arousal doesn’t consistently improve fine motor performance).