On the Correspondence Between Physiological and Nonverbal Responses: Nonverbal Behavior Accompanying Challenge and Threat

Weisbuch, Max; Seery, Mark D.; Ambady, Nalini; Blascovich, Jim

doi:10.1007/s10919-008-0064-8

Cited by 34 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Several studies have supported this prediction (O'Connor et al, 2010;Weisbuch, Seery, Ambady, & Blascovich, 2009). For instance, Mendes et al (2007) found that, compared to a threat state, a challenge state resulted in more effective movements during an interaction task, including less freezing, avoidance posture, and more smiling.…”

Section: Possible Underlying Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Champ or Chump?: Challenge and Threat States During Pressurized Competition

Moore

Wilson

Vine

et al. 2013

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

118

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The present research examined the immediate impact of challenge and threat states on golf performance in both real competition and a laboratory-based task. In Study 1, 199 experienced golfers reported their evaluations of competition demands and personal coping resources before a golf competition. Evaluating the competition as a challenge (i.e., sufficient resources to cope with demands) was associated with superior performance. In Study 2, 60 experienced golfers randomly received challenge or threat manipulation instructions and then performed a competitive golf-putting task. Challenge and threat states were successfully manipulated and the challenge group outperformed the threat group. Furthermore, the challenge group reported less anxiety, more facilitative interpretations of anxiety, less conscious processing, and displayed longer quiet eye durations. However, these variables failed to mediate the group–performance relationship. These studies demonstrate the importance of considering preperformance psychophysiological states when examining the influence of competitive pressure on motor performance.

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Section: Possible Underlying Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Champ or Chump?: Challenge and Threat States During Pressurized Competition

Moore

Wilson

Vine

et al. 2013

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

118

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Higher scores on self-efficacy for individuals in a threat state may reflect an attempt to mask an underlying lack of self-efficacy. Indeed, individuals who exhibited cardiovascular responses indicative of threat during a social interaction with a stranger sounded less confident, but looked more confident (Weisbuch, Seery, Ambady, & Blascovich, 2009). To explain, participants who were threatened in a social interaction attempted to mask an underlying lack of confidence by controlling their facial display which CHALLENGE AND THREAT STATES 18 is relatively controllable compared to vocal confidence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenge and threat states: Cardiovascular, affective, and cognitive responses to a sports-related speech task

et al. 2013

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This study examined the relationship among cardiovascular responses indicative of challenge and threat states, self-efficacy, perceived control and emotions before an upcoming competition. Using a repeated-measures design, 48 collegiate athletes talked about an upcoming competition (sport-specific speech task) and the topic of friendship (control speech task), whilst cardiovascular responses (heart rate, preejection period, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance) were collected and self-report measures of self-efficacy, perceived control, and emotions completed. Findings showed that participants with a physiological threat response reported higher levels of self-efficacy and excitement. Further, none of the other emotions or the cognitive appraisals of challenge and threat predicted cardiovascular patterns indicative of either a challenge or threat state. Thus, cardiovascular responses and self-report measures of self-efficacy, perceived control, and emotions did not correlate in the manner predicted by the theory of challenge and threat states in athletes. This finding may reflect methodological aspects, or that perhaps highly efficacious individuals believe they can perform well and so the task itself is more threatening because failure would indicate underperformance.

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“…We calculated a threat-challenge index by converting CO and TPR reactivity scores into z-scores, and then subtracting TPR from CO, which means that higher values on the resulting index indicate a stronger challenge motivational state whereas lower values indicate a stronger threat motivational state (Blascovich et al, 2004;Kassam, Koslov, & Mendes, 2009;Mendes et al, 2007;Seery et al, 2009;Weisbuch, Seery, Ambady, & Blascovich, 2009). In line with predictions, participants in the high power condition were relatively more challenged (M = .69) than participants in the low power condition (M = −.44), who were relatively more threatened, F(1,43) = 4.59, p =.038 (see Fig.…”

Section: Cardiovascular Reactivitymentioning

confidence: 99%