The Yerkes-Dodson Law: Optimizing Your Performance

In 1908, psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson formulated what’s known as the Yerkes-Dodson Law. In essence, it refers to the relationship between performance and arousal levels. They argue that cognitive function and overall performance improve with increasing arousal levels up to a certain point. Beyond this point, they say, higher levels of arousal lead to a decline in performance. 

Why are we covering this? Well, it offers great insight into the importance of finding the right balance when it comes to our mental health and brain health. 

In today’s post, we’ll explain more about what the law is, what it refers to, and how it functions in the brain.

More on the law

Visually, some people find it useful to picture the Yerkes-Dodson Law as a curve with an inverted U-shape. On this curve, moderate arousal means optimal performance and we see drops in performance at both the higher and lower levels.

What is arousal?

You might be wondering what exactly is meant by the term arousal. In this case, we’re talking about the concept that covers the psychological and physiological states of being awake, alert, and attentive. 

How does it work in the brain?

Within the brain, arousal levels are regulated by what’s known as the RAS, or reticular activating system. From here, our focus of attention and amount of alertness is carefully controlled. 

Another part of the brain that is involved in the modulation of arousal levels are neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers. Dopamine, norepinephrine, and cortisol are all key substances that can contribute to ideal cognitive performance, by enhancing synaptic plasticity, memory function, and attention.

Too low, too high, and just right

While low arousal levels can lead to under stimulation and difficulty processing information, high arousal levels can overwhelm our ability to maintain focus and attention. That’s why it’s important to aim for somewhere in the middle, just like Goldilocks! 

And how do we do that? Well, don’t miss next week’s post, where we’ll be going into greater detail regarding why lower and higher arousal levels can be detrimental, and offering helpful, practical advice on how you can find the right balance in your life.