The I Just Give Up Response

These people deal with pressure by withdrawing energy and effort (Loehr, 1991). The name for this style is called tanking, or the tank response.  I used to think that tanking was when you gave so much effort, but you lost because you had nothing left or your "tank was dry."  I later learned that this is the quitter response when things are not going your way.

Players who respond to pressure this way may look casual, lifeless, or unmotivated during difficult times. This can be outside of a game too. Remember, games are great indicators of a person's behavior. The problem is that this low intensity style uses the coping mechanism of, "I just wasn't into the match. If I really wanted to do well I could have."

Often times people who respond to pressure in this way can have a lot of excuses as to why they did not perform their best.  They can have a poor on-court image and can be forgetful and unfocused. They often make decisions that leaves people wondering what were they doing? They are inconsistent , ranging from brilliant to disastrous. There is no middle ground of playing the best they can. It is great or horrible. This response can continue on because it effectively controls nervousness (Loehr, 1991). By not putting forth effort to reach the zone or total engagement, these players never reach their full potential. They learn to control their nerves, but at the cost of the very thing they want to achieve (Loehr, 1991).
Players who are talented or gifted are especially prone to fall into this response.