Lesson 26
IMAGERY
This lecture is a continuation 🔄 of the topic we started in the last lecture, imagery 🖼️. In this lecture we will be discussing theories of why imagery works 🤔, imagery perspective 👀, sensory mode 👂✋, and measurement of imagery 📏.
Theories of Why Imagery Works 💡
While a great deal of research 📚 has been published on the effectiveness ✅ of imagery 🖼️ and mental practice 🧠 in sport 🏅, sport psychologists 🧑🏫 know very little about the reasons 🤔 they are effective or how they work ⚙️. Why should mentally practicing 🧘♂️ or imagining 🖼️ a physical task 🏃♂️ result in improved learning 📖 and performance 🏆? A number of possible explanations 🔍 have been proposed. We will discuss three theoretical explanations 📌:
- Psychoneuromuscular Theory 🧠💪
- Symbolic Learning Theory ✍️🧠
- Attention and Arousal Set Theory 👀⚡
1. Psychoneuromuscular Theory 🧠💪
Psychoneuromuscular theory posits that imagery 🖼️ results in subliminal neuromuscular patterns ⚡ that are identical to the patterns used during actual movement 🏃♂️. Even though the imagined event does not result in overt muscle movement ❌, subliminal efferent commands 📡 are sent from the brain 🧠 to the muscles 💪. In this way, the neuromuscular system gets the opportunity to "practice" 🔁 a movement pattern without actual movement 🚫.
Psychoneuromuscular theory is the most plausible explanation ✅ for why imagery facilitates physical performance 🏆 and learning 📚.
2. Symbolic Learning Theory ✍️🧠
Symbolic learning theory differs from psychoneuromuscular theory. It states that mental practice 🧠 and imagery 🖼️ work because the individual plans 📝 her actions in advance ⏳. Motor sequences 🔄, task goals 🎯, and alternative solutions 🔁 are cognitively processed 🧠 before a physical response 🏃♀️ is required.
3. Attention and Arousal Set Theory 👀⚡
Attention and arousal set theory combines cognitive aspects 🧠 of symbolic learning theory with physiological aspects 💪 of psychoneuromuscular theory. According to this theory, imagery 🖼️ improves performance 🏆 in two ways:
- Physiological ⚡: imagery helps the athlete adjust arousal levels for optimal performance 🏅
- Cognitive 🧠: imagery helps the athlete focus attention 👀 on task-relevant cues 🎯
If the athlete is attending to a task-relevant image 🖼️, distractions ❌ are reduced.
Imagery Perspective and Sensory Mode 👀👂✋
Two factors are important when discussing imagery use by athletes 🏃♂️:
- Imagery perspective 👀
- Sensory mode 👂✋
Imagery Perspective 👁️
There are two imagery perspectives:
Internal imagery 🔄
The athlete imagines executing the task from within her own body 🧍♀️. Example: imagining shooting a basketball free throw 🏀 while seeing the basket from your own eyes 👀.
External imagery 👤
The athlete imagines watching herself from outside the body 🎥. Example: seeing yourself shoot a basketball free throw from a distance 👁️. External imagery is useful for observing technique and form 🏋️♂️.
Internal imagery feels more natural 😊, while external imagery helps with technical observation 🔍.
Sensory Mode 👂✋
Kinesthetic sensitivity 🤸♂️ informs the brain 🧠 about movements in joints and muscles 💪. Both imagery perspectives use all five senses 👀👂👃✋👅, though different sports may benefit more from one perspective than another 🏅. Internal imagery generally relies more on kinesthetic sensitivity 🤸♀️.
Measurement of Imagery 📏📝
Many questionnaires 📋 have been developed to measure imagery. An incomplete list includes:
- Gordon's Test of Imagery Control (GTIC) 🧠
- Group Test of Mental Rotations (GMART) 🔄
- Individual Differences Questionnaire (IDQ) 👤
- Preferred Imagic Cognitive Style (PICS) 🎨
- Imagery Use Questionnaire (IUQ) 🖼️
- Imagery Use Questionnaire for Soccer (IUQ-SP) ⚽
- Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ) 🏅
- Exercise Imagery Questionnaire – Aerobic Version (EIQ-AV) 🏃♂️
- Questionnaire on Mental Imagery (QMI) 🧠
- Shortened Questionnaire on Mental Imagery (SQMI) ✂️
- Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) 👁️
- Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ) 🏃♀️
- Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire (VMIQ) 💪
- Revised Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ-R) 🔄
References 📚
Cox, H. Richard. (2002). Sport Psychology: Concepts and Applications. (Fifth Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies 🏢
Lavallec. D., Kremer, J., Moran, A., & Williams. M. (2004). Sports Psychology: Contemporary Themes. New York: Palgrave Macmillan Publishers 📖