Anxiety is a complex emotion identified by various levels of agitation. It is caused by reaction to a threat or perceived threat that generates a ‘fight or flight’ response. In other words, when we experience situations where we are at risk, uncertain, threatened or attacked, we become anxious and take steps to address the concern. From here our natural instincts take over, forcing us to confront it (fight) or escape (flight). At the extreme, anxiety disrupts and unset- tles behaviour by lowering the individual’s concentration and affecting their muscular control.
Sporting contests and competitions may contribute to anxiety because of the unpredictable nature of performance or the uncertainty of the outcome. Any sporting contest can give rise to anxiety when one’s perceived ability cHapteR 6 PSyChOlOGy ANd PERFORMANCE 191

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STAY & FIGHT ANXIETY BUTTON
Figure 6.8: anxiety can trigger a fight or flight response.
Practice HSC exam questions does not measure up to the demands of the task. For example, a boxer might be aware that his preparation has been insufficient, but must go an indefinite number of rounds with a clearly superior opponent. The build-up of anxiety is unavoidable as the mind tinkers with thoughts of ways forward or ways out. This pessimistic appraisal causes negative stress, which underlies most forms of anxiety.
Anxiety can also be entrenched in deep-seated expectations, especially if one feels that they cannot be fulfilled. When people realise that their actual ability and possibly their level of motivation falls short in terms of the per- ception of others, confidence falls and anxiety rises proportionally. It’s a fine line between being ‘psyched up’ and ‘psyched out’. The person’s state of mind depends almost entirely upon their perceptions and expectations.
Trait anxiety
Trait anxiety refers to a general level