EFFECTS OF PREPARATORY INFORMATION ON ENHANCING PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS

Research conducted largely in medical and clinical settings suggests t hat receiving preparatory information prior to a stressful event can r educe negative responses to stress. Although results within this domai n have been promising, little research has examined the efficacy of pr eparatory information on enhancing performance in a more applied task environment. This study examined the effect of preparatory information on reducing stress reactions and enhancing performance on a realistic decision-making task. Results indicated that those who received prepa ratory information prior to performing under high-stress conditions re ported less anxiety, were more confident in their ability to perform t he task, and made fewer performance errors than those who received no preparatory information.