The Use of Imagery to Manipulate Challenge and Threat Appraisal States in Athletes

Abstract

The present study investigated whether imagery could manipulate athletes' appraisal of stress-evoking situations (i.e., challenge or threat) and whether psychological and cardiovascular responses and interpretations varied according to cognitive appraisal of three imagery scripts: challenge, neutral, and threat. Twenty athletes (M age = 20.85; SD = 1.76; 10 female, 10 male) imaged each script while heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output were obtained using Doppler echocardiography. State anxiety and self-confidence were assessed following each script using the Immediate Anxiety Measures Scale. During the imagery, a significant increase in heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output occurred for the challenge and threat scripts (p < .05). Although there were no differences in physiological response intensities for both stress-evoking scripts, these responses, along with anxiety symptoms, were interpreted as facilitative during the challenge script and debilitative during the threat script. Results support using imagery to facilitate adaptive stress appraisal.

Challenge and threat states: Cardiovascular, affective, and cognitive responses to a sports-related speech task

“…For example, Williams, Cumming, and Balanos (2010) were unable to find consistent differences in cardiac output between participants when using challenge or threat imagery about a sport competition. The challenge imagery script was related to higher levels of self-efficacy compared to the threat script, providing some support for the cognitive component of the TCTSA.…”

“…Collectively, both theory (Jones, 1995) and research (Hanton, Neil, & Mellalieu, 2008), suggest that in combination, a high perception of control and self-efficacy should, typically, be associated with emotional responses being perceived as helpful to performance regardless of the valence of the emotion. For example, Williams et al (2010) found that anxiety experienced during a challenge script was perceived as more helpful for performance. Moore, Vine, Wilson, and Freeman (2012) manipulated challenge and threat states by giving participants different monetary incentives and found that the challenge group reported a more facilitative interpretation of cognitive anxiety.…”

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

“…Layering can also incorporate Lang's (1979) bio-informational theory, whereby the first layer could be made up of stimulus propositions, with response and meaning propositions added in subsequent layers (e.g. Cumming, Olphin, & Law, 2007;Williams, Cumming, & Balanos, 2010). Imagery ability has been found to significantly increase following an intervention where a layering technique is used (Calmels et al, 2004).…”

Judo’s Mental Imagery Training and Technical Acquisitions among High Institute Students

“…Thus, the psycho-neuro-muscular theory asserts that vivid imagined events produce innervations in our muscles similar to that produced by the actual physical execution of the event. Coaches and athletes should know that mental imagery strengthens their muscle memories by having the muscle respond in the correct sequence without actually executing the movement, (Williams & al., 2010).…”