The Science Behind Why Our Brains Choke Under Pressure
Have you ever found yourself in a high-stakes situation where you needed to perform, only to completely bomb? You’re not alone. Research has shown that ‘choking’ under pressure is linked to a decrease in activity in the neurons that prepare for movement. This phenomenon is not unique to humans; even monkeys can underperform in high-reward situations, similar to how a tennis player might miss a match-winning shot.
Understanding the Brain’s Response to Pressure
A study conducted by neuroscientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, delved into the brain’s response to high-stakes scenarios and how it impacts performance. The researchers investigated what happens in the brain that causes performance to plummet and published their findings in Neuron.
The study involved setting up a computer task for rhesus monkeys, where they received rewards based on their ability to move a cursor accurately and quickly over a target. The monkeys were given cues indicating the size of the reward they could potentially receive, ranging from small to jackpot rewards. The jackpot rewards were rare but significantly larger, creating a high-stakes, high-reward situation for the monkeys.
Neuronal Activity in the Motor Cortex
To observe changes in neuronal activity, the researchers implanted a tiny, electrode-covered chip into the monkeys’ brains, specifically targeting the motor cortex, an area of the frontal lobe that controls movement. They found that in jackpot scenarios, the activity of neurons associated with motor preparation decreased.
Motor preparation is crucial for the brain to calculate and plan movements, similar to lining up a shot before taking it. The drop in motor preparation meant that the monkeys’ brains were underprepared, leading to underperformance in high-stakes situations.
Peak Preparedness and Neural Bias Hypothesis
Further analysis revealed that as the size of the reward increased, neural activity reached a point of peak preparedness. However, as the rewards became even larger, preparedness began to wane, pushing the brain out of its optimal performance zone. This phenomenon, termed the neural-bias hypothesis, sheds light on how the brain responds to varying levels of reward and pressure.
Future Implications and Potential Solutions
The researchers are intrigued by the possibility of avoiding choking under pressure and optimizing performance. One potential avenue they are exploring is providing feedback on an individual’s brain activity to help enhance performance. However, further studies are needed to delve deeper into this phenomenon, particularly in human subjects.
Overall, the study offers valuable insights into the science behind why our brains choke under pressure. By understanding how the brain responds to high-stakes situations and the impact on performance, we may be able to develop strategies to overcome choking and improve our ability to perform under pressure.