Arousal is a physiological and psychological state of being awake. It involves the activation of the reticular activating system in the brain stem, the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure and a condition of sensory alertness, mobility and readiness to respond. Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, an important early achievement in the study of physiology. ... Psychology is an academic or applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes such as perception, cognition, emotion, personality, behavior, and interpersonal relationships. ... The reticular activating system is the name given to part of the brain (the Reticular Formation and its connections) believed to be the centre of arousal and motivation in animals (including humans). ... Mostly enveloped by the cerebrum and cerebellum (blue), the visible part of brainstem is shown in black. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Major endocrine glands. ...

There are many different neural systems involved in what is collectively known as the arousal system. Four major systems originating in the brainstem, with connections extending throughout the cortex, are based on the brain's neurotransmitters, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. When these systems are in action, the receiving neural areas become sensitive and responsive to incoming signals. The chemical compound acetylcholine, often abbreviated as ACh, was the first neurotransmitter to be identified. ... Norepinephrine (INN) or noradrenaline (BAN) is a catecholamine and a phenethylamine with chemical formula C8H11NO3. ... Dopamine is a phenethylamine naturally produced by the human body. ... Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract of animals including humans. ...

Arousal is important in regulating consciousness, attention, and information processing. It is a crucial for motivating certain behaviours, such as mobility, the pursuit of nutrition, the fight or flight response and sexual activity (see Masters and Johnson's human sexual response cycle, where it is known as the arousal phase). It is also very important in emotion, and has been included as a part of many influential theories such as the James-Lange theory of emotion. According to Hans Eysenck, differences in baseline arousal level lead people to be either extraverts or introverts. Consciousness is a quality of the mind generally regarded to comprise qualities such as subjectivity, self-awareness, sentience, sapience, and the ability to perceive the relationship between oneself and ones environment. ... It has been suggested that Base motive be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section should include material from Fight-or-flight The flight or fight response, also called the acute stress response, was first described by Walter Cannon in the 1920s as a theory that animals react to threats with a general discharge of the sympathetic nervous system. ... Sexual behavior is a form of physical intimacy that may be directed to reproduction (one possible goal of sexual intercourse) and/or to the enjoyment of activity involving sexual gratification. ... Time magazine, May 25, 1970 The Masters and Johnson research team, made up of William Masters and Virginia E. Johnson, pioneered research into the nature of human sexual response and the diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders and dysfunctions from 1957 until the 1990s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Emotional redirects here. ... The James-Lange theory refers to an hypothesis on the origin and nature of emotions developed independently by two 19th-century scholars, William James and Carl Lange. ... Hans Eysenck Hans Jürgen Eysenck (March 4, 1916 - September 4, 1997) was an eminent psychologist, most remembered for his work on intelligence and personality, though he worked in a wide range of areas. ... The terms Introvert and Extrovert (originally spelled Extravert by Carl Jung, who invented the terms) are referred to as attitudes and show how a person orients and receives their energy. ... This article deals with the psychological term Introversion. ...

The Yerkes-Dodson Law states that there is a relationship between arousal and task performance, essentially arguing that there is an optimal level of arousal for performance, and too little or too much arousal can adversely affect task performance. One interpretation of the Yerkes-Dodson Law is the Easterbrook Cue-Utilisation hypothesis. Easterbrook states that an increase of arousal leads to a decrease in number of cues that can be utilised. (Easterbrooke, 1959). The Yerkes-Dodson law demonstrates an empirical relationship between arousal and performance. ...

Causes of Arousal

Martin Rae, Jonathan Kyle, Alexander Forbes, Dave Gildoons,

See also

• Emotion
• Emotion and memory
• Sexual arousal
• Yerkes-Dodson law

Emotional redirects here. ... Emotion can have a powerful impact on memory. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Yerkes-Dodson law demonstrates an empirical relationship between arousal and performance. ...

References

• Easterbrooke, J.A. (1959). Psychological Review, 66, 183-201.