CMM91025 Reflective Writing: Analyzing Physiological Arousal at Work

This reflective writing assignment delves into the student's personal experience of increased physiological arousal in a workplace setting, specifically during a job interview for a human resource manager position. The assignment explores the context of the event, including pre-interview anxiety and the presence of experienced candidates, and analyzes the resulting emotions, such as anxiety and determination. The student uses tables to detail the interplay between emotions and behaviors, examining how high arousal influenced their performance in the interview. The assignment further incorporates models of emotional intelligence, like Bar-On's EI competencies model and Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso's EI ability model, to demonstrate how improving these skills can help manage future similar situations. The student reflects on their cognitive abilities, and their self-awareness, and provides alternative interpretations of the behaviors observed during the interview, including the interviewers' actions and their own responses. The student concludes by offering advice for novice employees, emphasizing the importance of managing anxiety and avoiding negativity in high-pressure situations.

Running Head: PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
Identify an occasion at work recently when you were aware of experiencing
increasing physiological arousal:
Arousal can be considered as a state or condition of physiological activation as well as
cortical responsiveness that leads to sensory stimulation. In a layman’s language it can be stated
that, physiological arousal refers to the expenditure of energy during a condition of excitement.
This expenditure of energy can be linked to distinct emotions like happiness, fear, anger,
depression, sadness, enthusiasm and so on. According to several psychologists like Charles &
Luong (2013), a specific state, in which a person becomes physiologically alert attentive as well
as awake, can be termed as ‘physiological arousal’. The neurotransmitters, serotonin,
norepinephrine, dopamine, as well as acetylcholine existed in human body play a significant role
during the increment as well as decrement of arousal. Arousal is controlled with the help of
Reticular Activating System (RAS) which exits in the human brain. For instance, the personal
experiences through which I have undergone was an experience of happiness. It was one of the
best moments of my life for which, I was not prepared. The incident of happiness is related to
my personal life. After my graduation I decided to join as an accountant in a company, due to
financial reasons. Soon I realized that, it is required to pursue higher studies to climb the ladder
of growth in career. As I did not want to spend the rest of my life, remaining at the position of an
accountant, I started studying Masters of Business Administration in human resource
management, in correspondence. Obviously I wanted to be recruited as a human resource
manager after the completion of the course. Irrespective of the fact, that I would not continue my
current job for a long time, I made good friends there. My friendly attitude was appreciated by
my supervisors. This appreciation motivated me to grow as a proficient employee. My course

2PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
was about to end, when the organization announced vacancy in the position of human resource
manager. In spite of not having any experience in the domain of a human resource manager, I
decided to appear for the interview. I observed candidates who had come for the interview were
experienced managers. Hence, prior to the interview, I knew that there was lack of chances for
me to get selected. During the interview arousal fluctuated between high and moderate. This is
because, in the rounds where I know I can represent the best of myself, I become conscious due
to high arousal. High arousal alerted me that I had to perform well. Later I realized that the
reason behind my good performance in some of the rounds was my high arousal. During the
rounds of group discussion, I was unable to become as active as other experienced candidates
due to my low arousal. After 1 week when I was at my desk my boss called me and conveyed the
good news of my selection, which was a pleasant surprise to me. At that time I was astonished
and extremely happy as well. This was the time of extreme happiness that my Reticular
Activating System (RAS), does not respond which leads to a very low level of arousal and
inactivity as well. Listening that I was selected for the position of the human resource managers I
became stunned and speechless.

3PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
Plot your emotion (at its most intense) as a dot on the 2D model of emotion
below:
(b) Describe the incident including:
1. The context – what was happening just before you noticed the increased
arousal?
I was waiting out of the interview room prior to the increment of the arousal.
Who was present (use pseudonyms) and what were their roles in the incident?
The persons who were present-interviewers, senior managers, my boss, other candidates.

4PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
Why do you think your arousal increased?-
My arousal increased due to the realization that, candidates who had come for the
interview were experienced managers. Hence, prior to the interview, I knew that there was lack
of chances for me to get selected. Apart from prior experience, that, I had the limited areas to
exhibit excel. This was the reason, for which I became conscious that I would utilize the limited
opportunity to the fullest. The increase in consciousness activated RAS and the norepinephrine
levels enhanced eventually. This increased the arousal. As per my interpretation, I can state that
there are other reasons behind the increase in the arousal. As I encountered many candidates
having prior experience, it was my common sense made me realize, I had to move forward
strategically, so that I became capable of representing my skills as well as potentialities to the
fullest extent, or in other words, I could represent whatever qualities I possessed in the most
impressive way so that it can almost veil or mask the attribute I lack-relevant job experience.
2. Table 1 and 2-
Table 1. A reflective exercise on the effect of our emotions on our behavior.
Emotion
Describe in as much detail as
you can the emotions you
experienced during the
incident (there are likely to be
at least a few – often many).
Behavior
Describe your behaviour in
objective terms – what did you
actually do and/or say?
How did emotion influence
behaviour?
Now analyse the different ways
your behaviour was linked to
those emotions. It can help to
think how your
reaction/behaviour differed

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from what might have
happened if you had no
emotional reaction at all – or
from the way you would advise
someone to act when you are
unaware of any emotional
content (i.e., the completely
rational, best-practice way)
Emotions experienced, anxiety
due to high arousal. Again,
high arousal evoked
consciousness as well as
alertness. Hence, it can be
stated thagt there were a
mixed feelings. Due to the
high arousal a realization that,
I had the limited scope to
exhibit excellence, occurred.
This lead also evoked
determination to put my best
effort and exhibit excellent
perform, so that I can
compensate for the drawback,
which was lack of several
As the description of my
behavior in objective terms I
can say that, I followed my
cognitive ability that told me
to put my best effort to
represent the skills I had,
without thinking or panicking
for what I did not have.
It is due to high arousal that,
initially, I became anxious.
Due to anxiety I started
working in a hurry. I take
examination of the first round
very much seriously and I
answered the questions very
fast without wasting time to
As a different analysis of the
linkage between behavior and
emotion it can be stated that,
my behavior of becoming too
serious, work swiftly, work
smartly, are related emotional
intelligence as well as
consciousness. Again, a little
bit anxiety as well as the
pressure that I did not have
work experiences like the
other candidate worked as a
stimuli to boost RAS and
arousal as well. As a different
explanation of my inactivity
as well as speechlessness

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years of experience. Finally,
when I came to know that I
was selected, that time, the
emotion I experienced
think. This signified that I
performed under pressure due
to high arousal. The arousal
remained at high but positive
valence. This was the reason I
acted swiftly as well as
efficiently. Further, I was able
to decrease the level of
anxiety as well as arousal a
little. The arousal was still
high but in the positive
valence, for which I
completed the second round
with confidence and without
taking extreme pressure. I
realized that, full utilization of
my potentiality was more
important that prior work
experience which I did not
have at that moment. I acted
practically and smartly as well
as consciously due to my high
arousal. My high arousal
when I came to know about
my selection, I can state that,
it was not only low arousal but
also due to the negativity I
nourished in my mind, for
which I became shocked after
knowing about my selection
for the position of human
resource manager. All these
can assist any novice
employee encountering the
similar situation, to gain
knowledge regarding ideal
reaction as well as behaviour
differed from what might have
happened. Hence, I can advise
that novice employees who
are unaware how to control
their arousal, should not let
themselves to become too
anxious at the time of facing
similar situation. Again, they
should not nourish any

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alerted me and I acted
according to my cognitive
abilities. I was informed of my
selection when I was working
at that office as an accountant.
This was a pleasant surprise
for me which led to low
arousal as well as inactivity.
negativity in their minds, for
avoiding inactivity during the
moments of extreme
happiness as well as low
arousal.

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Table: 2
Behavior
Describe the other
Person’s (or people’s)
Behaviour in objective
terms – what did they
actually do and/or say?
Interpretation and
emotion Describe how
you interpreted that
behaviour and what
emotions that elicited
in you.
Alternative
interpretation and
emotion now try to
come up with an
alternative explanation
for the behavior
described in column 1.
If you had interpreted
the behavior that way
at the time, what
emotions might it have
elicited?
During the interview
interviewers asked tricky
questions to test my
patience and also
provided me
hypothetical human
resource issues and
As per my own
interpretation of the
behavior exhibited by
myself I can say that, my
common sense made me
realize prior to the
interview, I knew that
As the alternative
motivation I can say that
conveying the news of
selection through a
warm and personal
interaction was a cordial
behavior which was

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asked me to take
decision to solve the
issue.
As per the explanation
of this behavior of the
interviewer I can state
that, providing
hypothetical problem
and observe the skills of
the candidates to solve
human resource issues,
can be considered as an
appropriate behavior to
conduct skill tests.
Again testing the
patience of the
candidates was a
behavior, the purpose of
which was to conduct an
assessment of the
temperament of the
potential human
resource managers.
there was lack of
chances for me to get
selected. Apart from
prior experience, that, I
had the limited areas to
exhibit excel. This was
the reason, for which I
became conscious that I
would utilize the limited
opportunity to the
fullest. The increase in
consciousness activated
RAS and the
norepinephrine levels
enhanced eventually.
This increased the
arousal. The emotions
elicited within me was
anxiety, along with this I
was also driven by self-
motivation that I had to
overcome the challenge
utilizing my
conducted with the
purpose of conveying
me congratulation along
with motivation.

10PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
Finally, conveying the
news of selection
through a warm and
personal interaction was
a cordial behavior which
was conducted with the
purpose of conveying
me congratulation along
with motivation.
potentialities to the
fullest, even if there is
less chances of positive
outcome or winning the
challenge.
Models of emotional intelligence. How do those EI skills relate and how might
improving them help equip you if a similar incident occurred in the future?
Relating the my personal experience with Bar-On's EI competencies model, and
Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso's EI ability model, it can be said that, the improvement of
Emotional intelligence, can be considered as a skill to deal with several positive as well
as negative situation, especially, at workplace (Charles & Luong, 2013). For instance, the
development as well as nourishment of the emotional intelligence will help me to gain
control over arousal as well as RAS and neurotransmitters, serotonin, norepinephrine,
dopamine, and also acetylcholine existed in human body which regulates increment as
well as decrement of arousal. Arousal is controlled with the help of Reticular Activating
System (RAS) which exits in human brain. Hence, it can be stated that, Goleman’s
model, Bar-On's EI competencies model, and Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso's EI ability

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model which throw lights on multidimensional usage of emotional intelligence,
emphasizes on inculcating personality traits that favor positive high arousal to deal with
workplace challenges.