Irrational beliefs and choking under pressure : a preliminary investigation
- Mesagno, Christopher, Tibbert, Stephanie, Buchanan, Edward, Harvey, Jack, Turner, Martin
- Authors: Mesagno, Christopher , Tibbert, Stephanie , Buchanan, Edward , Harvey, Jack , Turner, Martin
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Applied Sport Psychology Vol. 33, no. 6 (2021), p. 569-589
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Researchers who examine existing models of choking under pressure are beginning to explore the antecedents that predispose individuals to increased anxiety. Irrational beliefs (IBs) may be one such antecedent to “choking”, given that irrational beliefs are closely associated with anxiety intensity. This study aimed to investigate whether IBs influenced anxiety and performance under pressure. Experienced Australian football players (N = 35) completed an IBs questionnaire prior to an Australian football set shot experiment with low- and high-pressure. During both pressure conditions, participants completed a state anxiety questionnaire prior to completing 15 set shots on goal. Results indicated that cognitive and somatic anxiety increased from low- to high-pressure. For somatic anxiety, an IBs main effect approached significance, indicating higher somatic anxiety with increases in IBs. A marginally significant Condition main effect was found for performance, which decreased from low- to high-pressure, with no other effects for performance evident. Follow-up correlation analysis of seven athletes who likely experienced choking (i.e., greater than 15-point performance decrease) indicated a strong negative correlation between IBs and change in performance from low- to high-pressure. Further analyses for “chokers” indicated a significant IBs × Condition interaction, with performance tending to increase with increasing IBs under low-pressure and decrease with increasing IBs under high-pressure. This study provides initial, tentative support that IBs associated with performance trends of “chokers” under different pressure conditions may be dissimilar to those of “underperformers” or “clutch” performers. Applied implications for sport psychologists working with athletes are discussed. Lay summary: This paper investigated whether inflexible thoughts (i.e., irrational beliefs- IBs) led to increased anxiety and “choking”. Athletes completed an IBs questionnaire, then an anxiety survey during a football kicking task under low- and high-pressure. Results indicated IBs may affect “chokers” response to pressure differently to other groups. © 2020 Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
- Authors: Mesagno, Christopher , Tibbert, Stephanie , Buchanan, Edward , Harvey, Jack , Turner, Martin
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Applied Sport Psychology Vol. 33, no. 6 (2021), p. 569-589
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Researchers who examine existing models of choking under pressure are beginning to explore the antecedents that predispose individuals to increased anxiety. Irrational beliefs (IBs) may be one such antecedent to “choking”, given that irrational beliefs are closely associated with anxiety intensity. This study aimed to investigate whether IBs influenced anxiety and performance under pressure. Experienced Australian football players (N = 35) completed an IBs questionnaire prior to an Australian football set shot experiment with low- and high-pressure. During both pressure conditions, participants completed a state anxiety questionnaire prior to completing 15 set shots on goal. Results indicated that cognitive and somatic anxiety increased from low- to high-pressure. For somatic anxiety, an IBs main effect approached significance, indicating higher somatic anxiety with increases in IBs. A marginally significant Condition main effect was found for performance, which decreased from low- to high-pressure, with no other effects for performance evident. Follow-up correlation analysis of seven athletes who likely experienced choking (i.e., greater than 15-point performance decrease) indicated a strong negative correlation between IBs and change in performance from low- to high-pressure. Further analyses for “chokers” indicated a significant IBs × Condition interaction, with performance tending to increase with increasing IBs under low-pressure and decrease with increasing IBs under high-pressure. This study provides initial, tentative support that IBs associated with performance trends of “chokers” under different pressure conditions may be dissimilar to those of “underperformers” or “clutch” performers. Applied implications for sport psychologists working with athletes are discussed. Lay summary: This paper investigated whether inflexible thoughts (i.e., irrational beliefs- IBs) led to increased anxiety and “choking”. Athletes completed an IBs questionnaire, then an anxiety survey during a football kicking task under low- and high-pressure. Results indicated IBs may affect “chokers” response to pressure differently to other groups. © 2020 Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
An investigation into handedness and choking under pressure in sport
- Mesagno, Christopher, Garvey, Jacob, Tibbert, Stephanie, Gröpel, Peter
- Authors: Mesagno, Christopher , Garvey, Jacob , Tibbert, Stephanie , Gröpel, Peter
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Vol. 90, no. 2 (2019), p. 217-226
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: When athletes fail to perform at an expected level during an important moment, it is implied the athletes have experienced “choking“ (sudden decline in performance) under pressure.”. Researchers have reported that persistent left-hemispheric activation patterns occur when an athlete experiences considerable performance deteriorations under pressure. Researchers have also observed differences in brain activation patterns between left- and right-handed people on a variety of physical and cognitive tests, with the left-hemispheric activation more pronounced in right-handed participants. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether athletes’ handedness may be linked to choking susceptibility (i.e., likelihood to experience performance decline under pressure). Method: Twenty right-handed and 13 left-handed experienced Australian football players completed 15 shot attempts, in both a low-pressure and a high-pressure condition. Both groups displayed equal state anxiety increases due to the pressure manipulation, indicating similar increases in anxiety in both handedness groups. Results: Differences were indicated in performance between the left- and right-handed groups during the high-pressure condition, with the left-handed group maintaining, and the right-handed participants declining, performance. Conclusion: Future electroencephalogram (EEG) research investigating this link may clarify the effect between handedness and choking.
- Authors: Mesagno, Christopher , Garvey, Jacob , Tibbert, Stephanie , Gröpel, Peter
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Vol. 90, no. 2 (2019), p. 217-226
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: When athletes fail to perform at an expected level during an important moment, it is implied the athletes have experienced “choking“ (sudden decline in performance) under pressure.”. Researchers have reported that persistent left-hemispheric activation patterns occur when an athlete experiences considerable performance deteriorations under pressure. Researchers have also observed differences in brain activation patterns between left- and right-handed people on a variety of physical and cognitive tests, with the left-hemispheric activation more pronounced in right-handed participants. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether athletes’ handedness may be linked to choking susceptibility (i.e., likelihood to experience performance decline under pressure). Method: Twenty right-handed and 13 left-handed experienced Australian football players completed 15 shot attempts, in both a low-pressure and a high-pressure condition. Both groups displayed equal state anxiety increases due to the pressure manipulation, indicating similar increases in anxiety in both handedness groups. Results: Differences were indicated in performance between the left- and right-handed groups during the high-pressure condition, with the left-handed group maintaining, and the right-handed participants declining, performance. Conclusion: Future electroencephalogram (EEG) research investigating this link may clarify the effect between handedness and choking.
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