Stage Fright

Podcast Summary

• Choking under Pressure: A Common Experience for Favorite Performers: Understanding the causes of choking under pressure and developing effective coping strategies can help individuals perform at their best even in high-pressure situations.

  Pressure and nerves can significantly impact even the best performers, leading to what is known as choking under pressure. This was evident in the story of Australian swimmer Kate Campbell at the 2016 Olympics, who, despite being a favorite and holding a commanding lead, ended up in sixth place due to a false start caused by her anxiety. Psychologist Seon Bylock, who has spent decades studying this phenomenon, shares her personal experience of choking during a soccer game when she noticed the national coach watching her. Choking under pressure can manifest in various ways, including mental and physical symptoms such as loss of focus, increased heart rate, and decreased motor skills. Understanding the underlying causes and developing effective coping strategies can help individuals perform at their best even under high-pressure situations.

• Pressure and Choking in Different Domains: Pressure can disrupt performance in various domains, causing choking, even in familiar tasks or well-practiced skills.

  Even the simplest tasks can become challenging when we're under pressure. The speaker shared a personal experience of choking during a college chemistry test despite extensive preparation. This phenomenon, known as choking under pressure, can occur in various domains, from high-stress soccer games to familiar tasks like swearing-in ceremonies or parallel parking. The U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts' stumble during President Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony is an excellent example of this. Choking can be attributed to the increased focus on the task at hand, which can disrupt our performance. The speaker also mentioned that social situations, like parties, can be a common ground for choking due to the pressure to interact effectively with others. Another example provided was U.S. Army Bugler Keith Clark's mistake while performing TAPS at President John F. Kennedy's funeral, despite having played it numerous times before. This illustrates that even well-practiced skills can be affected by the pressure of the moment.

• Pressure and Choking in Sports: Even the most skilled athletes can choke under pressure, leading to mistakes and disappointing outcomes.

  Pressure and high stakes situations can lead even the most skilled individuals to choke and perform below their ability level. This was evident in the story of Keith Clark, who made a costly mistake during a crucial soccer match, and in the case of basketball free throws or golf shots where the psychological element intensifies the difficulty of the task. The story of Jean van de Velde at the British Open in 1999 is a tragic example of a choke situation that built on itself, resulting in a devastating outcome. The human reaction to these moments of excruciating agony can range from sympathy to scientific curiosity, as we are drawn to the unpredictability of sports and the possibility of witnessing greatness or failure.

• Understanding Choking in High-Pressure Situations: Choking is a complex psychological phenomenon affecting skilled individuals, caused by communication breakdowns and limited working memory in high-pressure situations, especially in complex environments

  Choking is a complex psychological phenomenon that can affect even the most skilled and experienced individuals in high-pressure situations. It's not just about individual performance but also about communication breakdowns within teams. Working memory, which acts like our cognitive horsepower, plays a crucial role in choking. It's limited, and our brain has to quickly decide how to deploy it. In high-pressure situations, communication can break down, leading to misunderstandings and performance failures. This is especially true in complex situations, such as in medicine or aviation, where clear communication is essential for success. So, the next time you witness someone choking under pressure, remember that it's not necessarily a sign of carelessness or inexperience but rather the result of the complexities of the human mind.

• Focusing on the right things in working memory: Effective use of working memory requires balancing conscious attention and autopilot to optimize performance.

  While working memory is crucial for effective performance, it's essential to focus on the right things. Overthinking and consciously focusing on every detail can actually hinder performance, especially when tasks have been learned to autopilot. For instance, a basketball player should use working memory to read the court and plan the next move but not to focus on angling their wrist while taking a shot. The key is to have brain power available but be able to turn it off when needed. Constantly focusing too much can lead to "paralysis by analysis," where performance slows down. Instead, it's essential to strike a balance between conscious attention and autopilot.

• The impact of conscious thought on high-stakes performance: Conscious thought and control can hinder performance in high-stakes situations, disrupting the communication between brain areas and negatively impacting cognitive abilities.

  Our ability to perform optimally in high-stakes situations can be disrupted when we try to control our actions too much. This phenomenon, known as choking, can be induced even in expert performers when they focus too much on the details of their actions, which are usually on autopilot. This concept relates to the role of working memory and procedural memory in skill acquisition. While working memory is crucial in the initial learning stages, as a skill becomes more automatic, we rely on procedural memory, which allows us to remember the procedures to execute a task without conscious thought. However, when we deliberately think about a skill encoded in procedural memory, we can revert to a beginner's mindset and choke under pressure. Furthermore, research shows that stress and anxiety can disrupt the communication between different areas of the brain, leading to decreased cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills. In summary, the key takeaway is that too much conscious thought and control can hinder our performance, and the pressure of high-stakes situations can negatively impact our cognitive abilities.

• Math anxiety activates pain and fear areas in the brain: Math anxiety can negatively impact brain function and performance, but techniques exist to help reduce its effects.

  Math anxiety is not just a sign of being bad at math, but rather a condition that changes how the brain functions during math tasks. A study using MRI brain scans showed that when people who are anxious about math anticipate doing math, areas of the brain associated with pain and fear are activated. This anticipation of pain or fear can negatively impact their performance, making it difficult for them to focus on the math problem. Psychologists argue that people who are anxious about math are not anxious because they're bad at it, but rather they're bad at math because they're anxious about it. These feelings of anxiety often stem from a desire to do well. However, it's important to note that anyone can learn techniques to perform better under pressure and reduce the effects of anxiety. These skills are not limited to a select few individuals. The conversation between Sia and her mom after a poor performance on a chemistry test provides an example of how the right questions and support can help someone transform from a "choker" to a "thriver."

• Practicing under pressure to manage anxiety: Prepare for high-pressure situations by practicing under pressure through study groups, quizzing each other, and exposure to potential triggers. Reinterpret physiological responses as signs of readiness and excitement, not failure.

  Effective studying and managing anxiety involve preparing for high-pressure situations by practicing under pressure. This can be done through study groups, quizzing each other, and exposure to potential triggers. The common theme is bridging the gap between training and competition, and getting comfortable with the feelings that come with it. Physiological responses, such as sweaty palms or a racing heart, can be reinterpreted as signs of readiness and excitement, rather than indicators of failure. This approach, based on the principles of exposure therapy, can lead to improved performance and reduced anxiety. The speaker, who has won an award from the National Academy of Sciences, shared how they employed these techniques to overcome their own anxiety during a presentation at the Academy.

• Managing Performance Anxiety: Focusing on why you should succeed, reminding yourself of expertise, and using techniques like singing a song, focusing on breathing, or engaging in an unrelated activity can help manage performance anxiety and improve performance.

  Performing under pressure, whether it's giving a talk or playing a sport, can be intimidating, especially when loved ones are present. However, focusing on why you should succeed and reminding yourself of your expertise can help alleviate anxiety and improve performance. Distracting the mind with techniques such as singing a song, focusing on breathing, or engaging in an unrelated activity can also prevent over-analyzing and keep the mind in a state of flow. Practice and experience are crucial in developing fluent automated processes, allowing performers to rely less on working memory and focus more on their performance. So, next time you're feeling nervous before an important event, try singing a song, focusing on your breathing, or reading a magazine to help calm your mind and improve your performance.

• Understanding the Impact of Experiences on Performance: Early mastery of skills reduces pressure and improves performance. Belonging and avoiding stereotype threat are essential for optimal performance.

  Our experiences, whether it's learning a new skill, performing under pressure, or dealing with stereotypes, can significantly impact how we perform and remember events. When we learn something early and automatically, we're less likely to choke under pressure. However, when we feel like we don't belong or are under stereotypical expectations, we may experience stereotype threat, which can hinder our performance. The environment plays a crucial role in shaping our mindset and self-perception, and it can either boost or impede our abilities. Ultimately, understanding these factors can help us navigate challenging situations and perform at our best.

• Structural causes of choking under pressure: Organizations and institutions should recognize their role in causing pressure and provide support to mitigate its impact, especially for first-generation college students.

  While choking under pressure is often viewed as an individual phenomenon, it also has structural causes. Organizations and institutions have a responsibility to recognize this and provide support to mitigate the impact of these structural factors. The example given is the experience of first-generation college students. Learning from the aviation industry, the goal should be to minimize mistakes and reduce their consequences rather than avoiding them altogether. Societal expectations and the glorification of pressure can add to the problem, and it's essential to create an environment where learning from mistakes is encouraged.

• Considering multiple assessments for a more holistic understanding: Assessing individuals based on multiple occasions reduces the impact of chance and external factors, leading to fairer and more accurate evaluations. Embracing the importance of learning from mistakes and improving over time can lead to greater success and satisfaction.

  Assessing people based on a single situation, such as a job interview or a final exam, may not provide a complete or accurate picture of their abilities. Instead, multiple assessments throughout a process can lead to better learning and a more holistic understanding of an individual's strengths and weaknesses. Seon Bylock, a psychologist and the president of Barnard College, argues that this approach is beneficial in various contexts, including education and employment. By considering multiple assessments, we can reduce the impact of chance and external factors on the outcome, leading to more fair and accurate evaluations. Additionally, acknowledging the importance of learning from our mistakes and improving over time can lead to greater success and satisfaction.