Anxiety-performance relationships in cricketers: testing the zone of optimal functioning hypothesis

This study extended Hanin's 1980 Zone of Optimal Functioning hypothesis by assessing both intensity and direction components of competitive state anxiety. 20 volunteer semiprofessional cricketers responded to the modified Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 prior to ten matches. For each game, players' performances were intraindividually evaluated by three qualified cricket coaches using subjective criteria. Separate Cognitive Anxiety and Somatic Anxiety 'below,' 'in,' and 'above' zones for Intensity and Direction of state anxiety were identified via repeated empirical assessments. Two two-way analyses of variance were computed for Intensity and Direction of anxiety (Cognitive Anxiety Zone Level x Somatic Anxiety Zone Level) with standardized performance scores as the dependent variable. A significant interaction was found between the zone levels for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety Direction and performance scores. Examination of the Zone of Optimal Functioning hypothesis that focuses on the interactions between Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety and in particular the directional elements of the modified inventory seems warranted.