Pressure and Performance
For months on end, athletes prepare for the big game, where stakes are high and pressure even higher. Yet no matter how much practice precedes the defining moment, nerves will kick in and affect performance, for better or worse.
Pressure/Stress and Effects:
Defined as “excessive or stressful demands, imagined or real, made on an individual to think, feel, or act in particular ways,” pressure and stress manifest themselves both mentally and physically. They start with anticipatory or anxious emotions and increased adrenaline, heart rate, and quickened breathing. It is typical that, consequent of these shifts in the body, there too develops shifts in performance.
Yerkes-Dodson Law
This phenomena was researched in the early 20th century by psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dodson, who developed the inverted U-curve to describe the relationship between pressure and performance.
On the left side of the curve, a lower level of arousal correlates to poor performance, characterized by simple, repetitive, boring tasks that may be undesirable to accomplish. On the right, the opposite occurs, with impaired performance due to high, unmanageable arousal levels from stress.
Based on this graph, peak performance requires an optimal balance of arousal, where there is just enough to provide adequate motivation.
There are four main factors that come into play when determining the shape of the typical curve:
Skill level: Ranging from amateur to professional, this will affect their approach towards the skill. When the skill is still unfamiliar and difficult, less arousal can be tolerated before it becomes inhibiting.
Personality: Some people are naturally more resilient in high-pressure situations. There are potential correlations with extroversion and higher performance.
Trait anxiety: The lower the anxiety level associated with the task on hand, the better one will perform under pressure. This is why those with self-confidence fare better than most.
Task complexity: The more complex a task is, the less arousal is optimal for peak performance. This is evident when conducting drills of varying difficulty. If one is mechanically simple while the other incorporates more moving parts, the former can be easily conducted under higher stress than the latter.
Based on this, it is evident why consistent practice is so important for higher-stake events seen in sports. The more developed an action is, the greater the arousal level that one may comfortably cope with before it detracts from performance.
How to Combat the Performance Decline:
In order to maximize performance under high levels of stress, there are several steps that may be taken to make the event more approachable.
Rationalize pressure: Pressure is often created by the athlete themselves, whether to top a previous record, maintain or climb rankings, etc. As such, one should rationalize their pressure and redirect it into maintaining focus on what is required of them. Instead of worrying over winning, one should concentrate on their routine ahead and remind themselves there is more to the sport than winning. The same can be applied when faced with losses.
Visualization: An effective tactic used across world-renowned athletes is mental imaging. By visualizing important moments in a game, the brain is better suited at managing expectations and emotions as it filters through various possible scenarios. Visualization has been scientifically proven to help regulate anxiety, maintain a sense of control in high intensity situations, and enhance accuracy.
Develop a routine - This allows a situation to become more predictable and controllable, thereby reducing stress. Thus, it is important to implement routines before and after games.
Sources
“Does Pressure Affect Performance?” Sports Psychology Tips | Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents, 2 Apr. 2015, https://www.peaksports.com/sports-psychology-blog/does-pressure-affect-your-performance-during-competitions/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
“The Science of Choking Under Pressure.” Harvard Business Review, 7 Apr. 2022, https://hbr.org/2022/04/the-science-of-choking-under-pressure. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
APA Dictionary of Psychology. https://dictionary.apa.org/pressure. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
Team, MindTools Content. “The Inverted-U Theory.” Mindtools, 14 Dec. 2023, https://www.mindtools.com/ax20nkm/the-inverted-u-theory. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
“Why Routines Are Really Good for Your Health.” Piedmont Healthcare, https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/why-routines-are-good-for-your-health#:~:text=%22Carrying%20out%20routine%20activities%20reduces,key%20way%20to%20prevent%20stress.%22. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.