A new approach to arousal-performance relationship in the izof model: The role of big five personality traits and emotional intelligence

This study examines the effects of personality traits and emotional intelligence to the arousal- performance relationship in IZOF model. The research includes 20 professional football player participants from Göztepe Sport Club during the season of 2010- 2011. In the first phase, in order to measure their emotional intelligence and personality characteristics, Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale and Five Factor Personality Test have applied. In the experimental study phase, the effect of the emotional arousal level triggered with the photos from various categories that are selected from The International Affective Picture System (IAPS) to the speed and accuracy of solving color word interference task have analyzed. For this reason, SuperLab 4.0 program and Stroop color-word test have used. Participants have been exposed to four groups of visual arousals which are selected from IAPS and it is tested if the triggered arousal level has related to speed and accuracy of solving color-word interference problem, and if the personal characteristics and emotional intelligence have effects on this relation. The results show that usage of emotion, which is a sub dimension of emotional intelligence, has negative relation with the reaction times in all emotional arousal states. More results indicate that agreeableness personality trait has negative relation with reaction times in pleasant high arousal and pleasant low arousal states.