SELF-PRESENTATIONAL SOURCES OF COMPETITIVE STRESS DURING PERFORMANCE

A qualitative investigation was conducted to identify sources of stres s and the self-presentational mechanism that may underpin them during competition. Twenty athletes described factors they perceived as stres sful during competition. Content analysis revealed eight general sourc es of stress, including significant others, competitive anxiety and do ubts, perceived readiness, and the nature of the competition (e.g., im portance). Two thirds (67.3%) of all stress sources appeared to height en the athletes' need to present themselves in a favorable way to the audience. Factors that increased perceived likelihood of poor personal performance lowered the athletes' ability to convey a desired image t o their audience. Social evaluation and self-presentation was also ide ntified as a general source of stress in its own right. These findings suggest that (a) these athletes were sensitive about the impressions people form of them during competition, and (b) stress responses maybe triggered by factors that primarily influence the self-presentational implications of performance.