Why do some people seem to thrive under pressure while others seem to fold or crumple?

This phenomenon is also known as choking and is defined as performing worse than expected given ability in a situation with a high degree of perceived importance.

The concept of pressure can take on many forms or manifest in varied ways for different people. But the ability to move through perceived high-stakes situations seemingly with little effort and exceed expectations is a phenomenon worthy of exploration — with significance for sport and everyday life.

Optimal performance, intense conditions

The key to optimal performance under intense conditions consistently over time intersects with the right combination of skills.

First, we need to understand that “pressure” or the perception of stress can vary among individuals, situations and events. Public speaking may come naturally for one person and be absolutely terrifying for another.

Shooting a free throw in the final seconds of a game while down by one point may lead one athlete to lock in and make the shot and another to tighten under pressure and miss. Playoffs for professional teams happen annually, and this allows for failure and redemption from year to year.

Championships can be more stressful, as getting to the final game or competition is not guaranteed, so taking advantage of opportunities becomes paramount.

Tournaments or quadrennial events such as the World Cup can exacerbate the perception of........

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