Imagery Use in Sport: A Literature Review and Applied Model

Abstract

Research examining imagery use by athletes is reviewed within the context of an applied model for sport. The model conceptualizes the sport situation, the type of imagery used, and imagery ability as factors that influence how imagery use can affect an athlete. Three broad categories of imagery effects are examined: (a) skill and strategy learning and performance, (b) cognitive modification, and (c) arousal and anxiety regulation. Recommendations are offered for the operationalization and measurement of constructs within the model, and suggestions are provided for how the model may guide future research and application.

Time Interval Moderates the Relationship Between Psyching-up and Actual Sprint Performance

“…Specifically, the imagery condition impacted the sprint performance (a) immediately, and at 1-and 2-minute intervals (b) but not at 3-and 5-minute intervals. Similarly, to past research, this confirms that imagery enhances performance (26,28), nevertheless, this extends the previous research's findings by revealing that only imagery which is used immediately or shortly before competition improves performance, with any delay of 3-minute or more leading to vanished effects.…”

Improving memory after environmental context change: A strategy of “preinstatement”

“…The benefits of preinstatement on later memory are consistent with research showing that visualizing or imagining an anticipated action improves performance in sports (Martin, Moritz, & Hall, 1999;Schmidt & Wrisberg, 2004) and in brain injury rehabilitation work (Lui, Chan, Lee, & Hui-Chan, 2004). Future work may also examine how preinstatement affects other psychological phenomena in which environmental context may play an important role, such as phobias.…”

Methodological Variations in Guided Imagery Interventions Using Movement Imagery Scripts in Sport: A Systematic Review

“…Interventions differed in the reason for measuring imagery ability at baseline. First, consistent with the literature regarding potential moderating and mediating effects that imagery ability can have on the outcomes of imagery use Martin et al, 1999), in five interventions researchers measured imagery ability to control for individual differences. Second, in two interventions, researchers measured pre-to-post changes in imagery ability, whilst also controlling for individual differences (i.e.…”

“…Although models such as Paivio's (1985) framework and the applied model of imagery use (Martin, Moritz, & Hall, 1999) are often used to inform the specific content of an imagery script to serve the desired function(s), these models should still be used alongside other theories and models of imagery use, to fully inform the development and delivery of an imagery script. Lang's bio-informational theory (Lang, 1977(Lang, , 1979; also see Ahsen's triple code theory (1984) for similar concepts) describes three types of information that are used when generating a vivid and emotional image.…”