About this talk
From taking a test to pitching to a client, just about everyone knows the feeling of choking, or not performing their best, under evaluative eyes. But why does this happen? Why do we sometimes fail to perform up to our potential when under pressure?
Cognitive science researcher and current President of Barnard College Sian Leah Beilock is determined to discover how we can use our understanding of the mind to develop the psychological tools to help us always perform at our best. Watch Sian’s 2017 TEDMED Talk to gain a deeper understanding of the factors influencing performance and the tactics you can employ to overcome your nerves when the pressure is on.
About Sian Leah Beilock
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Sian Leah Beilock is the president of Dartmouth College and a renowned cognitive scientist. Her research explores the science behind why people “choke” under pressure and how we can perform our best in stressful situations, whether it’s a big test, a public speech, or a championship game. By using a variety of research methods, from test performance to brain scans, she studies how our thoughts and reasoning skills change when we are under stress. Her work has been recognized with the Troland Award from the National Academy of Sciences and has been featured in major media outlets like The New York Times and NPR. Sian is the author of two acclaimed books: Choke and How the Body Knows Its Mind. She previously served as the president of Barnard College and was a leader at the University of Chicago. Today, she applies her knowledge of the human mind to guide one of the nation’s top universities.
