Study Shows Why We Choke Under Pressure
By Michael Smith , MD - WebMD Medical News
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Kwan, five-time World Champion, fell [during a 2001 competition] in one of the biggest ice skating events of the year. Why do some athletes and performers foul up something that should be rote for them? Researchers answer just this question and help you figure out how you can thrive under pressure.
Why do we tend to choke under pressure? There are two possibilities, according to Michigan State University researchers. Do we mess up because we pay too much attention to the process or because we are paying too little attention as a result of distraction from the task?
Researchers focused on golf putting to prove their point. They looked at 54 beginning golfers who were then trained to a high skill level on a golf putting task -- but under very different circumstances.
The first group practiced under normal conditions. The second group -- the distraction group -- learned to putt while performing another task at the same time -- listening to words presented on a tape recorder and repeating a specific word every time they heard it. The third set -- self-conscious group -- putted with a video camera staring at them. They were told to pay close attention to their performance since they would be watched by golf pros.
Everyone did equally well under low-pressure circumstances -- putting in an undistracted environment. The true effect came out when the participants were asked to show their putting skill under intense pressure. They were told that they had to improve their putting performance to receive a monetary award for themselves and a partner depending on them.
Though the first two groups crumbled under the pressure, the self-conscious group actually excelled.
"This suggests that adapting to an environment where one is forced to attend to performance from the initial stages of learning may provide immunization against the negative effects of performance pressure," says co-author and PhD student, Sian L. Belilock.
So, how can we put these results to good use?
The researchers say that training under conditions that have you attending closely to your task might do the trick. The other option would be to purposely take your mind off of a well-learned skill when performing under pressure -- such as by repeating a key word or singing a song. Either of these may actually help you perform better and avoid choking under pressure.
Reviewed By Dr. Gary Vogin
Courtesy of WEBMD with AOL Health
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