choking under pressure

a paradoxical effect in which the demands of a situation that calls for good performance—such as a school test, sports competition, or job interview—cause an individual to perform poorly relative to his or her capabilities. Pressure denotes the individual’s desire to perform well; choking refers to the actual decrement in performance that results.

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Psychology term of the day

May 10th 2024

Clérambault’s syndrome

a form of erotic paranoia in which a person has delusions that someone else, who is typically older and of higher social status, is in love with him or her. The person continues to hold this belief despite having little contact with the other person and no reciprocation of feelings. The condition is more common in females than in males. Also called de Clérambault’s syndrome. [first described in 1922 by Gaëtan Gatian de Clérambault (1872–1934), French physician]