This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Wan, C. Y. Articles by Huon, G. F. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Performance degradation under pressure in music: an examination of attentional processes

University of Melbourne, Australia, wanc{at}unimelb.edu.au

Gail F. Huon

University of New South Wales, Australia, ghuon{at}psy.unsw.edu.au

An experiment was carried out to investigate the cognitive mechanisms responsible for performance degradation under pressure in music. The experiment was designed to compare the predictions of two theories, distraction and explicit monitoring. Distraction theory (Eysenck, 1992) explains performance degradation as a result of attentional shifts to task-irrelevant information. Explicit monitoring theory (Baumeister, 1984; Masters, 1992) postulates that performance degradation is due to increased attention to step-by-step control of skill processes. A total of 72 novice musicians were given individual lessons on basic note and rhythm reading skills. They were then trained on a keyboard task under one of three conditions (single-task, dual-task, video-monitoring) before being exposed to either a high-pressure or low-pressure post-test. Results showed that pressure led to skill failure in the single-task and dual-task groups, but resulted in improved performance of the video-monitoring group. These results were consistent with explicit monitoring theory. Furthermore, video-monitoring training was found to ameliorate the performance deficits normally caused by high pressure. Finally, the present study found no evidence that trait anxiety influences the effect of pressure on performance.

Key Words: anxiety • attention • novices • performance • skill failure

Psychology of Music, Vol. 33, No. 2, 155-172 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0305735605050649


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?