Why do players Choke in Penalty shootouts?

Written by Adam Morris

Choking in sport is a topic which is widely discussed among sport psychologists because of its negative effect on athletic performance. Performing highly challenging skills under immense pressure and in situations which are important to athletes has been something which has affected many athletes throughout their careers . The explicit monitoring theory is a key theory which has been used to help us understand this phenomena. Before looking at the explicit monitoring theory it is important to understand how a skill is learnt. When learning a new skill a person must progress through a number of different stages. Fitts and...

Article

Intervention strategies to prevent choking in penalty shootouts

Choking in penalty shootouts is an area which has been widely studied among sport psychologists. Much research has looked at the reasons as to why players choke, however there is very little research looking at intervention programmes to prevent it from happening. We shall look at two intervention strategies which...

Video

Tony Strudwick: How can sport scientists and sport psychologists work together?

Article

What does the future hold for Rory McIlroy: Hero or Zero?

For all of his greatness, I have always had my reservations about Rory McIlroy. He undoubtedly has spectacular golfing abilities and to have achieved what he has so far already makes him one of the greats. However my suspicions were first set racing when we witnessed the spectacular choke at...

Article

Ping Pong Panic: Explicit Monitoring Theory (EMT) and Table Tennis

The London Olympics of 2012 showcased a buffet of sporting heroes, but the Games also proved a ‘choking’ minefield for many athletes. Erratic shooting and overambitious passes in the Women’s Basketball resulted in the headline, ‘Team GB choke in final quarter’18. The Australian Men’s 4x100m relay team was accused of...