The Influence of Cortisol, Flow, and Anxiety on Performance in E-Sports: A Field Study

Overview

Journal Biomed Res Int

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
General Medicine

Date 2020 Feb 21

PMID 32076623

Citations 12

Authors

Steffen C E Schmidt

Jens-Peter Gnam

Maximilian Kopf

Tobias Rathgeber

Alexander Woll

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Results: Mean cortisol levels increased significantly during the game but response patterns were inconsistent. Winners and losers differed significantly in anxiety with winners showing higher anxiety levels. After dividing the sample into three groups of different cortisol response patterns, significant differences in performance and anxiety were found, with low to moderate levels of cortisol being associated with the highest performance and anxiety.

Conclusions: A low to moderate physiological arousal and a simultaneously high level of anxiety represent a favorable state for achieving optimal performance during e-sports. Anxiety seems to exert a stronger influence on performance than physiological arousal.

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