Yerkes–Dodson law

The Yerkes–Dodson law is an empirical relationship between arousal and performance, originally developed by psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodson in 1908.

The downward part is caused by negative effects of arousal (or stress) on cognitive processes like attention (e.g., "tunnel vision"), memory, and problem-solving.

The widely supported theory of optimal flow presents a less simplistic understanding of arousal and skill-level match.

Reversal theory actively opposes the Yerkes-Dodson law by demonstrating how the psyche operates on the principle bistability rather than homeostasis.

For example, long-term potentiation (LTP) (the process of forming long-term memories) is optimal when glucocorticoid levels are mildly elevated, whereas significant decreases of LTP are observed after adrenalectomy (low GC state) or after exogenous glucocorticoid administration (high GC state).

Original data from which the Yerkes–Dodson law was derived
Original Yerkes–Dodson law
Hebbian version of the Yerkes–Dodson law (this version leaves out that hyperarousal does not adversely impact simple tasks). This version is the most common version and often incorrectly cited in textbooks.