耶克斯－多德森定律

Yerkes-Dodson Law（耶克斯－多德森定律 或 耶克斯—多得森定律）是心理學家耶克斯（R.M Yerkes）與多德森（J.D Dodson）經實驗研究歸納出的一種法則，用來解釋心理壓力、工作難度與作業成績三者之間的關係。動機強度與工作效率之間的關係不是一種線性關係，而是倒U形曲線。中等強度的動機最有利於任務的完成（見示圖）。

耶克斯—多德森定律(The Yerks_Dodson Law)表明，學內容越困難，學習效果越容易受到較高激動水平的干擾。如高度憤怒或過分高興時，解答難題的效果不佳，簡單的操作高度的激動水平效果較佳；而一般操作，適宜於中等激動水平。

The Yerkes-Dodson law demonstrates an empirical relationship between arousal and performance. It dictates that performance increases with cognitive arousal, but only to a certain point: when levels of arousal become too high, performance will decrease. A corollary is that there is an optimal level of arousal for a given task.

It is a scientific principle developed by psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and J. D. Dodson in 1908 and is grounded within the discourses of biopsychology and neuroscience.

The process is often demonstrated graphically as an inverted U-shaped curve (curvilinear), increasing and then decreasing with higher levels of arousal. (However, there is also a linear component which proposes that in a simple task, performance increases with arousal. Therefore, in a simple task the relationship between arousal and performance is linear. According to the Yerkes-Dodson law, only in a difficult task is the relationship between arousal and performance curvilinear.)

It has been proposed that different tasks may require different levels of arousal. For example, difficult or intellectually demanding tasks may require a lower level of arousal for optimal performance (to facilitate concentration), whereas tasks demanding stamina or persistence may be performed better with higher levels of arousal (to increase motivation).

The effect of the difficulty of tasks later on led to the hypothesis that the Yerkes-Dodson Law can be decomposed into two distinct factors. The upward part of the converted U can be thought of as the energizing effect of arousal. The downward part on the other hand is caused by negative effects of arousal (or stress) on cognitive processes, like attention ("tunnel vision"), memory, and problem-solving.

There has been research indicating that the correlation suggested by Yerkes and Dodson exists (such as that of Broadhurst, 1959; Duffy, 1962; Anderson, 1988), but a cause of the correlation has not yet successfully been established (Anderson, Revelle, & Lynch, 1989).

Despite some evidence to the contrary, the law is generally respected.

1、各種活動都存在一個最佳的動機水平。

2、動機的最佳水平隨任務性質的不同而不同。

3、在難度較大的任務中，較低的動機水平有利於任務的完成。

很顯然，是那些可以靈活調整自己動機強度的人。因為在現實環境中，沒有一個人總是在執行固定難度的任務，而是總會遇到不同性質的任務，顯而易見，只有能夠根據任務性質調整自己的動機的人才能夠取得較好的成績。

這需要做到以下幾點：

1.準確的評價任務的難度；

2.確定合理的目標和期望。

耶克斯-多德森定律是心理學家耶克斯（R.M Yerkes）與多德森（J.D Dodson）的心理學研究表明，動機強度和工作效率之間的關係不是一種線性關係，而是倒U形曲線關係。

中等強度的動機最有利於任務的完成。也就是說，動機強度處於中等水平時，工作效率最高，一旦動機強度超過了這個水平，對行為反而會產生一定的阻礙作用。如學習的動機太強、急於求成，會產生焦慮和緊張，干擾了記憶和思維活動的順利進行，使學習效率降低。考試中的“怯場”現象主要由動機過強造成的。