Beilock (2010) notes that "choking" (or under-performing) in high-pressure situations occurs due to the fact the part of your working-memory is focused on "worrying" (due to multiple reasons, one of which is the stereotype threat), instead of focusing on the work itself, thereby taking the necessary thinking resources away from the subject. Down below are some tips that she suggests to overcome the power of the "choke":Reaffirm your self-worth. Before a big exam, spend a few minutes writing about your interests and activities. This will help boost your confidence and performance.
Map out your complexities. Spend a few minutes drawing a diagram of everything that you are about, what makes you a multifaceted individual. This will help you realize that one test score doesn't define you.
Write about your worries. Spend ten minutes or so before the test writing about your anxieties, this will help release the pressure!
Meditate away the worries. Meditation training can help you direct your cognitive horsepower for the task at hand.
Think differently. Think about yourself in ways that highlight your aptitude for success. Instead of focusing on how your group might be negatively stereotyped, e.g, think of the tools you have to excel - you have done well in school in the past or you have a supporting network of peers and mentors.
Reinterpret your reactions. When under pressure, learn to interpret your bodily reactions in a positive way ("I am amped up for the test") rather than negative ("I am freaking out").
Pause your choke. Walking away for a few minutes from a challenging problem that demands working-memory can help you find the most appropriate solution. When testing PhD students and undergraduates under similar conditions, the researchers have found that PhD students paused before approaching a difficult problem instead of diving right into it.
Educate the worries. Reminding students that stereotypes are just stereotypes and nothing more can help prevent people from worrying about their ability when the pressure is on.
The Obama effect. Seeing examples of people who defy common stereotypes about race, sex and ability can help boost the performance of people in these social groups.
Practice under pressure. Study under the same conditions you will be tested later (e.g., in a timed situation with no study aids)!
Outsource your cognitive load. Write the intermediate steps of the problem rather than trying to hold everything in your head.
Organize what you know. Come up with meaningful ways to organize the information you need to remember for a big test!
More on the topic: Beilock S. (2010). Choke: What the secrets of the brain reveal about getting it right when you have to.
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