Does caffeine promote choking under pressure? A study into the effects of caffeine on mental arithmetic task performance under high pressure through alterations of the dopaminergic system.

Abstract

To better understand the characteristics of individuals who tend to underperform under pressure when performing a mental task, we investigated whether caffeine influences choking under pressure. This study elaborates upon the Overdosing Hypothesis of choking and takes into account both the performance enhancing and dopamine stimulating effects of caffeine. We hypothesized that caffeine consumption promotes choking under pressure. Sensitivity of the dopamine system was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and by measuring baseline and changes in spontaneous eye-blink rate (EBR). Participants (N=97), of whom half consumed caffeinated coffee and half consumed decaffeinated coffee performed a modular arithmetic task. Participants were tested in a double manipulation - double control group design in which experimental groups were subjected to stressors to elicit choking under pressure. Pressure was successfully induced in both the caffeine and the decaf group, resulting in choking under pressure on high demand working memory problems. This is consistent with the overdosing hypothesis, which is supported by the results of the dopamine sensitivity measures. Even though supportive data was found, no definitive conclusions regarding our main hypothesis could be drawn.