Choking under pressure in Elite Recurve Archery

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Yangqing Zhao

School of Physical Education and Health, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China

Citation

Zhao, Y. (2024). Choking under pressure in Elite Recurve Archery. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 55(4), 334-353. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2024.55.334

Abstract

We examine how athletes react to competitive pressure using a special scenario in which two elite archers engage in a real-world competition. We show that pressure can substantially reduce an athlete’s performance in the final arrow they shoot in each set by comparing their performance in low-stakes (first two shots) and high-stakes scenarios (final shot). Our research indicates that choking under pressure occurs when someone who is expected to perform well does not complete a task or skill in crucial circumstances where high performance is needed. We also note that female or less experienced archers are more vulnerable to pressure than their male or more experienced counterparts. Furthermore, we suggest that numerous variables, including competitors’ skill level, gender, the tournament’s set, the set point differential, and whether the player is competing in an Olympic sport, can influence the choking process and its effects.

Keywords: Choking Under pressure; Paradoxical performance, Psychological stress, Recurent, heterogeneity

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