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Why we choke under pressure -- and how to avoid it | Sian Leah Beilock
Write your worries down for 10 minutes before the exam. Here's the science.
Who it's for
Beilock explains her lab's findings: pressure-induced worries consume working memory, and over-attending to well-learned skills ('paralysis by analysis') disrupts them.
Anxious about an upcoming exam, interview or performance; frustrated by past chokes→Prepared, with concrete pre-performance strategies
Feelings it meets
What it is
In this TEDMED 2017 talk, cognitive scientist Sian Leah Beilock explains why people choke under pressure: worry leads us to over-attend to skills that run best on autopilot ('paralysis by analysis'), as shown in a study where soccer players dribbled worse when they focused on their foot.
Where to find it
Free on YouTube.
Before you start
Age: Not rated (suggested 13+)
I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship.Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, Part 2, Chapter 44
