PPT Slide
USE OF INTERACTION EFFECTS IN TESTING THEORIES
YERKES-DODSON OPTIMAL AROUSAL THEORY OF
MOTIVATION ASSUMES THAT, IN GENERAL, TASK
PERFORMANCE IS OPTIMAL WHEN AROUSAL LEVEL IS AT
AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL, NEITHER TOO LOW NOR TOO
YERKES-DODSON THEORY ALSO ASSUMES THAT THE
OPTI MAL LEVEL OF AROUSAL DEPENDS ON TASK
COMPLEXITY… SPECIFICALLY, IT IS HIGHER FOR SIMPLE
TASKS AND LOWER FOR COMPLEX TASKS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE THEORY PREDICTS AN
INTERACTION EFFECT BETWEEN TWO INDEPENDENT
VARIABLES, NAMELY AROUSAL LEVEL AND TASK
COMPEXITY, AS ILLUSTRATED BELOW: