Who formulated the inverted-U arousal theory?

• A. Hull
• B. Drive theory
• C. Inverted U theorist
• D. Yerkes and Dodson

Answer: (D)

Think about how arousal levels influence how well we perform. The idea is that you hit a peak performance at a moderate level of arousal—the curve rises with arousal up to that point and then falls if arousal becomes too high. This specific relationship was described by Yerkes and Dodson in 1908, so it’s commonly known as the Yerkes-Dodson law. Hull’s Drive Theory describes a different, more linear link between arousal, drive, and performance, especially for simple tasks, rather than the curved optimum. Calling someone an “inverted-U theorist” isn’t naming a person, whereas the established attribution is to Yerkes and Dodson.