 "Photo: Buddy Burkhalter")
Some athletes play to win, and others play not to lose, said UT psychology professor Arthur Markman.
Markman will be closely watching the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics to examine if the games confirm the findings in his research on the psychology of competition.
UT will have 22 current and former student athletes competing in the games, whose opening ceremonies start Friday, and many UT research professors will be monitoring various aspects of the most-esteemed athletic event in the world.
In response to the event, the UT Office of Public Affairs has compiled a list of 16 professors from nine departments whose research makes them experts on the games, which will be held through Aug. 24 in Beijing, China.
They specialize in topics ranging from competition psychology and doping, to race, gender and Chinese culture.
"With such an international event on the horizon, we wanted to showcase our experts because we have so many folks who can inform the discussion, whether it be sports, politics or the economy," said Christian Clarke Casarez, director of the Office of Public Affairs.
Markman is interested in situational factors that could explain why some athletes thrive under pressure while others "choke." He explained that in a game that requires creativity, such as basketball, an athlete should play to win because the team is trying to gain points. Gymnasts try to recreate movements they are trained to make, so they play to not lose.
"When people get thrown out of this way of thinking, that's when they choke," Markman said.
The Olympics are also focusing attention on the political and economic climate in China, a country that has not been open to the world in the past, Casarez said.
"It is important for people to be informed on culture, economy and politics," Casarez said. "There will be interest in China after the Olympics. The games are just opening the door."
John Hoberman, chairman of the Department of Germanic Studies, said he will be looking for signs that the presence of foreign journalists and other visitors will force the authoritarian Chinese regime to make concessions in the areas of human rights and civil freedoms.
"I will also be looking for signs that unrest or public dissent have exhausted the authorities' patience, causing them to enforce even stricter social controls than those that are currently in place," Hoberman said.
Markman said the Beijing Olympics are unique from a psychological perspective, because Western athletes will compete in a cultural environment different from what they are used to.
"You have a bunch of people who are quite out of their cultural element," Markman said.
To view the list of experts, visit http://www.utexas.edu/news/2008/08/04/olympics/
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