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Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology pp 2737–2738Cite as

Yerkes–Dodson Law

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Synonyms

Inverted-U function of arousal

Definition

This law states that a relationship between arousal and behavioral task performance exists, such that there is an optimal level of arousal for an optimal performance. Over- or under-arousal reduces task performance.

figure 251 figure 251

Yerkes–Dodson Law. Figure 1

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References and Readings

  • Easterbrook, J. A. (1959). The effect of emotion on cue utilization and the organization of behavior. Psychological Review, 66(3), 183–201.

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  • Mateo, J. M. (2007). Inverted-U shape relationship between cortisol and learning in ground squirrels. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (online), Dec 27, 89, 582–590.

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  • Yerkes, R. M. & Dodson, J. D. (1908). The relationship of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18, 459–482.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The Miriam Hospital Brown University, 164 Summit Ave, 2906, Providence, RI, USA

    Ronald A. Cohen

Authors
  1. Ronald A. Cohen
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Professor of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry Virginia Commonwealth University – Medical Center Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU, 980542, Richmond, Virginia, 23298-0542, USA

    Jeffrey S. Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation Research Center, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, 07052, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca

  4. Independent Practice, 564 M.O.B. East, 100 E. Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA, 19096, USA

    Bruce Caplan

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Cohen, R.A. (2011). Yerkes–Dodson Law. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1340

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1340

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79947-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79948-3

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science

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