Lecture 16: Imagery

Question 1

Types

Answer 1

• Cognitive (practice motor skills)

- Motivation (regulate arousal levels)

Question 2

Imagery characteristics (many senses)

Answer 2

1. Visual
2. Kinestethic
3. Auditory
4. Tactile
5. Olfactory

Question 3

Purposes of imagery

Answer 3

• Enhance motivation
• Build confidence
• Acquire, practice, and sport skills
• Acquire & practice strategy
• Prepare for comp.
• Cope with injury
• Solve problems

Question 4

Imagery effectiveness (Driskel et al., 1994)

Answer 4

• Does mental practice enhance performance?
• Meta-analysis
• Positive effect of mental practice on performance
• Task more complex -> stronger effect of imagery (more effective)
• More effective when close to performance
• Positive effects not dependent on prior experience with task
• No effect of practice duration

Question 5

Imagery effectiveness (24 year follow up)

Answer 5

• Studies = 1994-2018
• 37 studies and 115 effects
• r = 0.24
• More effective when imagery involves multiple senses
• Positive effects not dependent on prior experience with task
• Positive effects for programs with duration between 1-6 weeks
• Optimal session length (20-30mins)

Question 6

Working mechanisms

Answer 6

• Psychoneuromuscular theory = same neural pathway
  = engage in imagery -> small activation of brain regions that would be connected to muscles involved in task
• Bio-informational theory = imagery is a prototype for actual behaviours

Question 7

Propositions

Answer 7

• Stimulus propositions = info about env.

- Response propositions = info about psychophysiological responses

Question 8

Keys to effective imagery

Answer 8

• Vividness (how real)

- Controllability (control during imagery)

Question 9

Improving imagery effectiveness PETTLEP

Answer 9

“Functional equivalence”

• Physical = active
• Env. = representative
• Learning = level of expertise
• Timing = real-time
• Task = realistic
• Emotion = representative
• Perspective = as in actual execution

Question 10

Study (imagery & police shooting performance 2014)

Answer 10

- Conclusions = goal-directed control is key
 = no additional effect of emotion
 - Imagery can be used 'on the fly'
 = also in less predictable scenarios?
 = self-guided imagery