Mark P. Otten
California State University, Northridge, USA
Citation
P. Otten, M. (2013). Clutch performance in Sport: A positive psychology perspective. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 44(4), 285-287. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2013.44.285
Abstract
For every instance of choking in sports, it could be argued that a “clutch” performance is just as possible. Mesagno and Hill (2013) begin their choking review with the observation that choking (under pressure) is “damaging” to athletes, based on impaired enjoyment, well-being and self-identity in performance (Hill, Hanton, Matthews, & Fleming, 2011). Indeed, we could conceivably begin a similar review on clutch play by noting it to be exciting for athletes, thereby boosting their enjoyment, well-being, and selfidentity. The problem is, the choking literature in sport psychology is many years more advanced than that of clutch performance, something that is perplexing given the proliferation of examples of clutch play that popular media so often put forth these days.
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