Choking Under Pressure
Michael Hoerger
Choking Under Pressure
• Performing worse than expected on an
important task
• Examples:
• Missed golf putt or free throw
• Bombing an exam
• Mind going blank
Types of Tasks
• Physical vs. Cognitive tasks
• Controlled vs. Automatic
• Controlled: require attention
• Automatic: do not require attention, speedy
Physical
Cognitive
Automatic
Self-conscious
Unlikely
Controlled
Distraction
Distraction
Automatic Physical Tasks
• Professional sports, experienced
driving, sex, speaking, playing guitar
• Through practice, physical tasks
become well-learned and automatic
• Self-consciousness (embarrassment,
shame, anxiety) disrupts automatic
processing  choking
Avoiding Choking: Automatic Tasks
• In advance:
• Practice under high-pressure
conditions
• In the moment:
• Distraction from self-consciousness
• Speed it up
• Use a routine to facilitate engagement
in automatic processing
Controlled Physical Tasks
• Learning to drive, conducting surgery,
learning to play video games, learning
to ballroom dance
• Performing novel physical tasks
requires controlled attention
• Distractions hog cognitive resources
needed for attention  choking
Controlled Cognitive Tasks
• ACTs, exams, spelling bees, giving a
speech
• Performing complex cognitive tasks
requires controlled attention
• Distractions hog cognitive resources
needed for attention  choking
Avoiding Choking: Controlled Tasks
• In advance
• Overlearn: Practice, practice, practice
• Practice under high pressure condition
• In the moment:
• Anything to reduce anxiety: breathing or
muscle relaxation, challenge beliefs that
are causing pressure
Stereotype Threat
• Stereotypes: yuppie, feminist, liberal,
White male
• Performance pressure created when
success or failure would support a
stereotype
• Can affect any group, but historically
most stereotypes have been against
females and minorities
A Threat in the Air
• 2,800 women and minorities fail to get
calculus AP credit each year due to
stereotype threat
• Leads to disidentification and avoidance
to maintain self-esteem
• Public policy against stereotypes is key
Michael Hoerger
To cite this lecture:
• Hoerger, M. (2007, March 26). Choking
Under Pressure, Skilled Performance, and
Stereotype Threat. Presented at a PSY
220 lecture at Central Michigan University.