Interpreting Direction of Anxiety Within Hanin's Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine Jones' (1991) directionality hypothesis and Hanin's (2000) individual zone of optimal functioning model. Swimmers' performance was examined to determine if cognitive and somatic anxiety was within cognitive and somatic individual zones of optimal functioning (IZOFs). Direction of cognitive and somatic anxiety was examined to determine if anxiety within IZOFs would be reported as facilitative to performance. One 3×3 (cognitive anxiety X somatic anxiety) ANOVA was calculated using ipsative t scores as the performance dependent variable. Two separate one factor ANOVAs for cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety were calculated using ipsatized cognitive and somatic direction scores as the dependent variables. Results indicated support for Hanin's IZOF theory relative to intensity of cognitive anxiety, however, interpretations of anxiety within IZOFs failed to provide support for the directional hypothesis. Results are explained via examination of extant anxiety-performance and directionality literature. Potential limitations and implications for future research are discussed.