Pressure and its affects

The anticipated triumph of your adored athlete is approaching. The onlookers eagerly anticipate, but at the crucial moment, she stumbles and fails to make the shot. That competitor has just experienced the phenomenon known as "choking," where, despite extensive months or even years of preparation, an individual falters precisely when it matters most. Choking is a common incident in sports, where performance often occurs under immense pressure and relies on pivotal moments. However, performance anxiety also affects public speakers, participants in spelling competitions, and even celebrated musicians worldwide.

Most individuals tend to attribute it to their nerves, but what is the reason behind nervousness affecting expert performance? There exist two categories of theories, both of which assert that choking under pressure primarily stems from a lack of focus.

To begin with, there are the distraction theories. These propose that performance declines when the mind is preoccupied with worries, doubts, or fears, rather than concentrating on the task at hand. When relevant and irrelevant thoughts compete for attention, something has to give. The brain has a limited capacity to process information simultaneously. Tasks that require working memory, which serves as a temporary storage for phone numbers and grocery lists, are particularly susceptible to pressure. In a study conducted in 2004, a group of university students were instructed to solve math problems, some of which were easy while others were more complex and demanded greater memory usage.

Half of the students completed both types of problems without any stakes, while the remaining students completed them in a calm state and under pressure. Although everyone performed well on the easy problems, those who were stressed performed poorly on the more challenging tasks that required more memory. The second group of explanations for choking under pressure is explicit monitoring theories. These theories focus on how pressure can lead people to overanalyze the task at hand. According to this logic, once a skill becomes automatic, thinking about its precise mechanics hinders one's ability to perform it effectively. Tasks that are done unconsciously appear to be most susceptible to this type of choking.

A study conducted on competitive golfers compared their performance when they were instructed to solely concentrate on putting as accurately as possible, versus when they were made highly aware of the mechanics of their putting stroke. Golfers typically perform this action subconsciously, so those who suddenly became attentive to the specific details of their own movements also experienced a decline in their ability to make accurate shots. However, it is important to note that choking may not be inevitable for everyone.

Research indicates that certain individuals are more vulnerable to choking under pressure, particularly those who are self-conscious, anxious, and have a fear of negative judgment from others. So, how can we prevent choking in crucial moments? Firstly, it is beneficial to practice in stressful conditions. A study conducted on skilled dart players discovered that those who had not practiced under stress performed worse when feeling anxious, in comparison to those who had become accustomed to pressure. Secondly, many performers emphasize the advantages of a pre-performance routine, whether it involves taking deep breaths, repeating a cue word, or engaging in a rhythmic sequence of movements. Research on golfing, bowling, and water polo has revealed that these short rituals can lead to more consistent and accurate performance under pressure. Lastly, researchers have demonstrated that maintaining an external focus on the ultimate goal is more effective than an internal focus, where individuals are overly focused on the mechanics of their actions. A study involving experienced golfers showed that those who concentrated on the flight of the ball while hitting chip shots performed significantly better than those who focused on the motion of their arms. Therefore, it may be appropriate to modify the traditional saying: practice under pressure with focus and with the glorious end goal leads to perfection.