title: Self-presentation origins of choking: evidence from separate pressure manipulations.
abstract: Whether self-presentation is involved in the choking process remains unknown. The purpose of the current study was to determine the role of self-presentation concerns on the frequency of choking within the context of a recently proposed self-presentation model. Experienced field hockey players (N = 45) were randomly assigned to one of five groups (i.e., performance-contingent monetary incentive, video camera placebo, video camera self-presentation, audience, or combined pressure), before taking penalty strokes in low- and high-pressure phases. Results indicated that groups exposed to self-presentation manipulations experienced choking, whereas those receiving motivational pressure treatments decreased anxiety and increased performance under pressure. Furthermore, cognitive state anxiety mediated the relationship between the self-presentation group and performance. These findings provide quantitative support for the proposed self-presentation model of choking, while also holding implications for anxiety manipulations in future sport psychology research.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement & Sport Sciences, University of Ballarat, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mesagno
authors.forename: Jack T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Janelle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D056352:Athletes / Q000523:psychology*; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006688:Hockey / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult