Motivating Performance

Create an 8-slide PowerPoint presentation on the topic of 1) peak performance and test anxiety or 2) peak performance and competition arousal.

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Capella Resources

Click the links provided to view the following resources:

• What Is Scholarly?

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Library Resources

The following e-books or articles from the Capella University Library are linked directly in this course:

• Whiteley, P. (2002). Motivation. Oxford, UK: Capstone Publishing.
• Murray, G., Nicholas, C. L., Kleiman, J., Dwyer, R., Carrington, M. J., Allen, N. B., & Trinder, J. (2009). Nature's clocks and human mood: The circadian system modulates reward motivation. Emotion, 9(5), 705–716.
• Oyserman, D., Fryberg, S. A., & Yoder, N. (2007). Identity-based motivation and health. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(6), 1011–1027.

Course Library Guide

A Capella University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the PSYC-FP3770 – Psychology of Human Motivation and Performance Library Guide to help direct your research.

NBC Archives on Demand

Is It Possible to Praise Children Too Much?

Video purchased for use in this Capella course through NBC Archives on Demand.

Americans More Stressed Than Ever

Video purchased for use in this Capella course through NBC Archives on Demand.

• Click Is It Possible to Praise Children Too Much? to view a video from NBC Learn.
• Click Americans More Stressed Than Ever to view a video from NBC Learn.

Assessment Instructions

Test anxiety and competition arousal are two forms of evaluation arousal. Create a PowerPoint presentation in which you analyze issues associated with peak performance in the workplace and recommend techniques for improving employee work performance.

Preparation

For this assessment, assume that your work organization has asked for your help in improving employee work performance. Surveys have determined that some employees struggle with test anxiety while others struggle with competition arousal, both of which prevent peak performance. Conduct research to identify:

• Biological, learned, and cognitive factors that might be affecting the employees' reactions to stress in the environment.
• Motivation techniques, such as rewards or praise, that can be used to manage the stress and improve peak performance.

Instructions

Create a PowerPoint presentation on the topic of 1) peak performance and test anxiety or 2) peak performance and competition arousal. Include a script in the notes section of each slide detailing what you would say to an audience about that slide. In the presentation, complete the following:

• Describe the topic you are addressing and its impact on employee performance. That is, demonstrate how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in the employee work situation.
• Describe the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in the employee work situation.
• Recommend motivation techniques—supported by the literature—for managing test anxiety or competition arousal to improve peak performance.
• In the final slide or slides, compile and present a list of five resources that would help the organization understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance. These resources must be scholarly resources from the Capella library or from reputable professional organizations (for example, American Psychological Association, American Medical Association) found on the Internet.

Additional Requirements

Your presentation should meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA sixth edition style and formatting.
• Number of resources: At least 3 scholarly academic resources supporting the presentation content, and five scholarly or professionally reputable resources listed as potential resources for the organization to use, are included in the presentation.
• Number of presentation slides: The presentation includes a minimum of 8 slides, excluding the title slide and bibliography slide(s) of references.
• Presentation notes: Each slide includes the presenter's script (what you would say during the presentation) in the notes section of the slide.

Motivating Performance Scoring Guide

CRITERIA NON-PERFORMANCE BASIC PROFICIENT DISTINGUISHED Demonstrate how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in an employee work situation.Does not identify test anxiety or competition arousal in an employee work situation. Identifies but does not describe test anxiety or competition arousal in an employee work situation. Demonstrates how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in an employee work situation. Demonstrates how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in an employee work situation and provides examples specific to the work situation. Describe the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation.Does not identify the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation. Identifies but does not describe components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation, or does not include all three components in the description. Describes the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation. Describes the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation and provides examples specific to the work situation. Recommend research-supported motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and for improving task performance in an employee work situation.Does not recommend motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and improving task performance in an employee work situation. Recommends motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and for improving task performance in an employee work situation, but the recommendations are not well supported by the research. Recommends research-supported motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and for improving task performance in an employee work situation. Recommends research-supported motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and improving task performance in an employee work situation, and evaluates limitations. Identify professionally reputable resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance.Does not identify resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance. Identifies resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance, but many of the resources are not applicable or professionally reputable. Identifies professionally reputable resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance. Identifies professionally reputable resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance, and identifies the strengths and limitations of each resource. Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities.Does not communicate in a manner that is scholarly and professional. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly and professional but is not consistent with expectations for members of professional communities. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities, with written communication that is free of errors that detract from the overall message. Apply proper APA formatting and style.Does not apply proper APA formatting and style. Uses adequate written communication but includes some APA errors and inconsistencies. Applies proper APA formatting and style. Applies scholarly writing skills and uses proper APA formatting and style throughout the assessment.