The Perception & Action Podcast - Sports Science & Psychology Talk

We have all seen it.  A great athlete has a chance to win a championship.  All that is required for them to do something they have done hundreds of times before…sink a 3 foot putt, make a free throw, kick a 20 year field goal. And they miss!  In this episode I explore the fascinating topic of choking under pressure. Why do some athletes excel in these situations while others fail?  What causes choking and want can an athlete do to prevent it? Research confessions: Choking under pressure while talking about choking under pressure    Links to articles discussed: Test anxiety and direction of attention Choking under pressure: self-consciousness and paradoxical effects of incentives on skillful performance Paradoxical effects of supportive audiences on performance under pressure: The home field disadvantage in sports championships Thoughts and attention of athletes under pressure: skill-focus or performance worries? Attending to the Execution of a Complex Sensorimotor Skill: Expertise Differences, Choking, and Sl