It seems the misfiring of a population of neurones may be the cause of āchoking under pressureā.
As though we didnāt know, the likelihood of choking increased when the reward was deemed as more āvaluableā. This appears to apply to both physical (sports) and cognitive (examinations) tasks.
Anecdotally, I find that if can disinhibit my expectations I perform much better. I couldnāt get the information in scientific papers to stick in my head when I was an undergraduate and it was really important, but during my PhD and as an academic I could casually read the literature and it did stay in my memory. When I attempted my fourth Dan grading, I wasnāt worried because I had three other possibilities to have a go at it, later in the year. Thus I was relaxed, did my thing and, to my surprise, passed first time! However, it can be a hard frame of mind to cultivate.
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Choking under pressure: Brain neurons misfire when the stakes are highest
Whether we've watched athletes do it or had the misfortune to experience it ourselves, 'choking' at an important moment when the pressure is on comes down to more than mental fortitude. For the first time, scientists have uncovered a set of neurons that misfire when the stakes are at their highest,ā¦
newatlas.com
As though we didnāt know, the likelihood of choking increased when the reward was deemed as more āvaluableā. This appears to apply to both physical (sports) and cognitive (examinations) tasks.
Anecdotally, I find that if can disinhibit my expectations I perform much better. I couldnāt get the information in scientific papers to stick in my head when I was an undergraduate and it was really important, but during my PhD and as an academic I could casually read the literature and it did stay in my memory. When I attempted my fourth Dan grading, I wasnāt worried because I had three other possibilities to have a go at it, later in the year. Thus I was relaxed, did my thing and, to my surprise, passed first time! However, it can be a hard frame of mind to cultivate.
Original Source: