9781422271124

Becoming a Performance Psychologist

Imagine you’re standing in front of your class, about to give a presentation on a topic you’ve been researching for months. You know the material, and you’ve rehearsed at home, but your nerves are beginning to get the best of you. When you begin your presentation, your voice sounds shaky, you’re stumbling over your words, and you’re forgetting valuable pieces of information that you knew you wanted to include. If you’ve ever choked under pressure (despite being well prepared), you’re not alone. Many people get nervous when performing (especially in front of others), and it can be hard to figure out how to calm your nerves so that you can give your best to the task at hand. Performance psychology is the study of how people perform, and what types of tactics performers can use to excel at their craft (even when they’re nervous, tired, or under a lot of pressure).

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