News release

From: The Royal Society

Exploring the Psychophysiological Predictors of Performance Under Stress—Insights from a Machine Learning Approach

When people face stressful situations, their body and mind react, and they cope in different ways. This study explored which psychological and physiological states help or hinder performance under stress. Using machine learning, we analysed which factors shaped medical students’ ability to communicate bad news. The strongest predictor of poorer communication was suppressing stress—likely because it drains mental resources needed for the task. In contrast, natural physiological stress responses appeared to enhance performance. These findings suggest that avoiding maladaptive coping strategies and recognising the potential benefits of stress may be important first steps toward engaging with stress more constructively.