Imagery in Sports
Imagery is a mental technique that athletes can use to program the human mind to respond as desired… Discuss
A Discussion of the Efficacy of Imagery Techniques for Novice and Professional Athletes
Athletes are always on the look out for techniques that will allow them to get better at their game. Whether it is a golfer who is looking to break his best score or a hockey goalie who is trying to get a shutout in the next game he plays, amateur and professional athletes are constantly trying to find ways of improving their performance. One performance enhancing technique that has been the subject of many empirical studies and theoretical speculation is the practice of imagery. Defined in its most general sense, imagery is "an experience that mimics real experience. We can be aware of 'seeing ' an image, feeling movements as an image, or experiencing an image of smell, tastes, or sounds without actually experiencing the real thing… it differs from dreams in that we are awake and conscious when we form an image." (Munroe-Chandler & Hall, 2011, p. 370) Applied to the basic problem of improving athletic performance, imagery exercises might consist of visualizing a hole in one for a golfer, or imagining what it feels like to play the net in the next game for a goalie. Imagery is connected to but distinct from the technique known as 'mental practice, ' where an athlete rehearses his or her strategy in competition. There are many various kinds of imagery techniques that exist, but the question of whether imagery really helps athletes to improve is still a matter of some debate, as is the question of how imagery works. The following paper will look at the research that exists on imagery as a technique athletes can use to program their minds. It will conclude, on the basis of this research, that imagery can indeed help people 's athletic performance, but that it should be considered as a complement rather than a substitute for practice and training. In order to
A Discussion of the Efficacy of Imagery Techniques for Novice and Professional Athletes
Athletes are always on the look out for techniques that will allow them to get better at their game. Whether it is a golfer who is looking to break his best score or a hockey goalie who is trying to get a shutout in the next game he plays, amateur and professional athletes are constantly trying to find ways of improving their performance. One performance enhancing technique that has been the subject of many empirical studies and theoretical speculation is the practice of imagery. Defined in its most general sense, imagery is "an experience that mimics real experience. We can be aware of 'seeing ' an image, feeling movements as an image, or experiencing an image of smell, tastes, or sounds without actually experiencing the real thing… it differs from dreams in that we are awake and conscious when we form an image." (Munroe-Chandler & Hall, 2011, p. 370) Applied to the basic problem of improving athletic performance, imagery exercises might consist of visualizing a hole in one for a golfer, or imagining what it feels like to play the net in the next game for a goalie. Imagery is connected to but distinct from the technique known as 'mental practice, ' where an athlete rehearses his or her strategy in competition. There are many various kinds of imagery techniques that exist, but the question of whether imagery really helps athletes to improve is still a matter of some debate, as is the question of how imagery works. The following paper will look at the research that exists on imagery as a technique athletes can use to program their minds. It will conclude, on the basis of this research, that imagery can indeed help people 's athletic performance, but that it should be considered as a complement rather than a substitute for practice and training. In order to
References: Callow, N. & Hardy, L. (2001). Types of Imagery Associated with Sport Confidence in Netball Players of Varying Skill Levels. Journal of Applied Psychology. 13, 1-17. Hall, C., Mack, D., Paivio, A., & Hausenblas, H. (1998). Imagery Use by Athletes: Development of the Sport Imagery Questionnaire. International Journal of Sport Psychology. 29, 73-89. Kim, B. & Giacobbi, P. (2009). The Use of Exercise-Related Mental Imagery by Middle-Aged Adults. Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity. 4(1), Article 1. MacIntyre, T. & Moran, A. (2007). A Qualitative Investigation of Imagery Use and Meta-Imagery Processes among Elite Canoe-Slalom Competitors. Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity. 2(1), Article 3. Munroe-Chandler, K., & Hall, C. (2011). Sport Psychology Interventions. In Sport and Exercise Psychology. Toronto: Pearson. 363-388. Post, P., Wrisberg, C., & Mullins, S. (2010). A Field Test of the Influence of Pre-Game Imagery on Basketball Free Throw Shooting. Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity. 5(1), Article 2. Weinberg, R. (2008). Does Imagery Work? Effects on Performance and Mental Skills. . Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity. 3(1), Article 1.