Performance Under Pressure Flashcards

Performance Contexts and Stress Management

Registration

Each session requires registration using a unique code. This code should not be shared with others. If registration issues arise, participants should contact the instructor for assistance. The registration portal is available at: https://student.la.jisc.ac.uk/

Aims

This session aims to:

• Examine how individuals deal with stressful situations, focusing on coping strategies and skills that may enhance stress management.

• Understand the theory behind performing under pressure, analyzing the physiological and psychological mechanisms involved in high-stress environments.

• Explore how beliefs can influence performance and well-being, particularly the impact of irrational versus rational beliefs on motivation and outcomes.

• Look at the role of personality in performance contexts, assessing how traits can affect stress responses and overall performance.

Understanding Stress

Stress as a Process (McGrath, 1970)

Stress is illustrated as a process involving several stages:

1. Event: An external stimulus or situation that triggers a response.

2. Appraisal: This involves the perception of the event, which includes:

   • Perception of Demand: Evaluating danger, uncertainty, and the effort required to address the situation.

   • Perceptions of Ability to Cope: Assessing personal resources and coping mechanisms.

3. Responses: Emotional, physiological, and behavioral responses to the appraised event.

If the event is perceived as benign (not relevant to personal well-being or goals), it does not lead to a stress response.

Appraisal Theory

Perception and Interpretation (Wolff, 1959)

The stress response is highly dependent on the perception and interpretation of events. Individual differences significantly influence how stress is experienced and managed.

Lazarus and Alfert (1964) Experiment

In their experiment, participants watched a film depicting surgical procedures. The results indicated how contextual framing can affect stress:

• Group 1: Received no introduction or commentary on the film.

• Group 2: Had commentary that reinforced the benign nature of the film.

Heart rate was measured as a stress indicator, revealing that lower stress responses occurred when viewers were reassured about the content.

Fight or Flight vs. Challenge and Threat

Challenge and Threat Responses

• Challenge Response: This occurs in active coping situations; it represents a fight or flight response characterized by increased physiological readiness.

• Threat Response: A distress response that impairs effective escape or approach behaviors in response to stressors, often associated with feelings of helplessness.

Challenge & Threat

During stressful situations such as exams, public speaking, or interviews, individuals evaluate situational demands versus perceived personal resources, which can lead to markedly different psychological outcomes.

Key Theories

• Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model: Emphasizes the interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors in challenge and threat evaluations (Blascovich & Mendes, 2000).

• Theory of Challenge & Threat States in Athletes (TCTSA): Outlines how athletes’ perceptions of demands and resources influence performance irrespective of their physical capabilities (Jones et al., 2009).

Demands vs. Resources

In evaluating demands (perceived danger, uncertainty, effort required) and resources (self-efficacy, control perceptions), individuals can experience either a challenge or threat state:

• Challenge State: Personal resources are perceived as sufficient to meet or exceed demands, leading to improved performance outcomes.

• Threat State: Perceived resources are insufficient to handle demands, resulting in decreased performance and often negative emotional states.

Task: Upcoming Stressful Activity

When reflecting on an upcoming stressful task or activity, consider the following questions:

• How do you feel about your upcoming performance task?

• What are your demand and resource appraisals regarding the situation?

Competition: Demand and Resource Appraisals (Jones et al., 2009)

• Demand Appraisals: Assess your threshold for coping with pressure and the specific challenges presented by the task.

• Resource Appraisals: Evaluate your self-efficacy and perceived levels of control over the task.

Physiological and Emotional Consequences:

• Increased heart rate as an immediate physiological reaction.

• Activation of the Sympathetic Adrenal Medullary (SAM) and/or Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (PAC) systems in response to stress.

• Release of hormones such as epinephrine/norepinephrine or cortisol, which can modify performance outcomes.

Research on Individual Differences

Sex Differences (e.g., Gillman et al., in prep):

• Research shows no reported differences in resource appraisals between genders, but females display cardiovascular responses indicative of challenge more than males when approaching a stressful task.

Personality (e.g., Gallagher, 1990; Mak et al., 2004):

• Extraversion correlates with challenge appraisal, while neuroticism is linked with threat appraisal, suggesting significant personality effects on stress responses.

• Just world beliefs influence the perception of fairness in outcomes, with higher beliefs associated with challenge appraisal and cardiovascular effects.

Applied Implications of Challenge State

Engaging in a Challenge State can lead to:

• More facilitative emotional responses compared to those in a Threat State, promoting better performance (Jones et al., 2009; Skinner & Brewer, 2004).

• Improved decision-making capabilities and greater social support for others under similar stressors (Dixon et al., 2017).

• Generally better performance outcomes across various contexts including academics, computer gameplay, and sports.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the dynamics of stress management is crucial in both performance contexts and personal well-being. Individuals who view themselves as possessing resources that outweigh the demands of a situation are more likely to maintain a Challenge State, ultimately leading to enhanced performance and adaptive behaviors. Rational beliefs play a significant role in shaping this perspective and in preparing individuals to confront their challenges head-on, which can be crucial for achieving success in various aspects of life.

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