THE [CHOKING] PHENOMENON

Psychological Mechanisms Behind Paralysis by Analysis

Choking or blocking under pressure is defined as a significant decrease in performance in response to perceived stress, despite having the ability and motivation to perform well.

The underlying psychological mechanism often involves a shift in focus of attention.

Under stress, the athlete ceases to rely on his or her automatic (procedural) processes and begins to attempt to consciously control movements that should be fluid and unconscious.

This process is known as "paralysis by analysis" or explicit monitoring. Imagine a professional dancer who has rehearsed a pirouette thousands of times. His body knows how to execute it automatically.

However, at a crucial audition, fear leads him to think about the exact position of his ankle and the angle of his knee during the turn.

In trying to consciously control these micro-movements, fluidity breaks down, coordination becomes rigid and the dancer loses balance.

The brain, in attempting to "ensure" success through conscious control, interferes with efficient neural pathways that have been consolidated through training.

Triggering factors: fear of failure and social pressure.

Blocking does not occur in a vacuum; it is usually precipitated by specific emotional and situational factors.

Fear of failure, embarrassment in the face of public eva luation, and pressure of expectations are common triggers.

When an athlete perceives a threat to his or her identity or social status (e.g., disappointing fans or losing a sponsorship), cognitive load increases, saturating working memory and diverting attentional resources away from the task.

An illustrative example would be a baseball pitcher in the final inning of a decisive game.

He faces not only the batter, but also the expectation of thousands of spectators and the history of his team.

If you begin to focus on the consequences of throwing a "bad ball" instead of visualizing the target, cognitive anxiety consumes your mental resources.

This fear of external eva luation can lead to muscular rigidity and conservative decision making, which paradoxically increases the likelihood of making the mistake you are desperately trying to avoid.

Summary

Blocking or "choking" is a significant drop in performance under pressure. It occurs when the athlete stops relying on his or her automatisms and shifts to conscious control.

This process, called paralysis by analysis, interferes with motor fluency. The brain tries to ensure success by controlling movements that should be subconscious, generating rigidity and errors.

Fear of failure and social pressure act as triggers. Cognitive load saturates working memory, diverting vital attentional resources away from the sporting task.