Academic literature on the topic 'Sport psychology; Kinaesthetic imagery'

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to analyze the movement-related brain macropotentials (MRBMs) recorded during the execution of two tests of motor imagery: kinaesthetic (internal) and visual (external). Recordings were compared with those obtained performing a GO/NOGO motor test. The GO test required pressure of three keys of a modified keyboard in sequence when a figure appeared in the computer screen. On NOGO trials no button had to be pressed. Motor imagery tests were an internal or kinaesthetic imagination test (IN MI) on which participants imagined performing the pressure of keyboard buttons, avoiding any real movement, and an external or visual imagination test (EX MI) on which subjects were asked to imagine seeing their finger press the buttons. With the completion of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire, the participants were assigned into two groups: high (11) and low (10) capacity of imagination. The results showed an increase in the amplitude of the MRBMs wave occurring in the prestimulus period of imagination, with respect to real motor action. In the poststimulus period, the amplitude and duration of the waves recorded during motor action were higher than those recorded during the motor imagery tests. The comparison between EX and IN MI showed a lower latency and a higher amplitude of the brain waves recorded during internal motor imagery with respect to those observed during EX MI. The experimental data confirm that real motor activity is related to higher amplitude MRBMs than motor imagery. The profile of the waves recorded during internal imagery seems to be related to a higher brain involvement compared to those recorded during external visual imagery; it suggest that the kinaesthetic process of imagination is more efficient in information processing and motor skill acquisition.

With the emergence of sport imagery training programs, sport psychologists need to understand the various conditions that have been found to facilitate imagery practice. This manuscript focuses on these conditions including vividness and controllability, practice, attitude and expectation, previous experience, relaxed attention, and internal versus external imagery. The summary synthesizes key points, advocating that these points be stressed in future sport imagery research and programs.

Evidence from sequential-task studies demonstrate that if the first task requires self-control, then performance on the second task is compromised (Hagger, Wood, Stiff, & Chatzisarantis, 2010). In a novel extension of previous sequential-task research, the first self-control task in the current study was a sport psychology intervention, paradoxically proposed to be associated with improved performance. Eighteen participants (9 males, 9 females; mean age = 21.6 years, SD = 1.6), none of whom had previously performed the experimental task or motor imagery, were randomly assigned to an imagery condition or a control condition. After the collection of pretest data, participants completed the same 5-week physical training program designed to enhance swimming tumble-turn performance. Results indicated that performance improved significantly among participants from both conditions with no significant intervention effect. Hence, in contrast to expected findings from application of the imagery literature, there was no additive effect after an intervention. We suggest practitioners should be cognisant of the potential effects of sequential tasks, and future research is needed to investigate this line of research.

AbstractEmerging research on youth sport participants has revealed that young athletes use sport-related mental imagery for a variety of purposes such as acquiring sport-specific skills. The present study aimed to replicate previous research regarding developmental differences in imagery use, confirm the utility of the Sport Imagery Questionnaire-Children’s Version (SIQ-C), and clarify the relationship of gender to imagery use in youth sport. Youth soccer players (

AbstractOpportunities for athletes with an intellectual disability (ID) to participate in sport are limited by physical and psychosocial barriers. Sport psychology interventions may be able to address these barriers, namely the lack of sport competence that athletes with an ID experience. This study sought to enhance sport competence among athletes with an ID using personalized motivational general-mastery (MG-M) imagery scripts. The six-week study assessed the imagery use, imagery ability, and sport competence of five Special Olympians (M

Imagery is an often used technique in psychological mental training and here also during rehabilitation. Imagery ability enhances imagery use. The perception of injury but also individual differences themselves influence the rehabilitation outcome. The first purpose of the study was to examine the mediation effect of injury perception between general imagery and rehabilitation imagery. Our second aim was to examine the mediating effects of the general ten dency to employ imagery within the relationship between personality and the imagery of rehabilitation itself. The studyinvolved 56 athletes (37 men and 19 women) suffered a physical injury. The respondents were asked to provide demographic information and then to complete following questionnaires: The Athletic Injury ImageryQuestionnaire-AIIQ-2, (Sordoni et al., 2002), The Imagination in Sport Questionnaire (Budnik-Przybylska, 2014) – short version, and Blecharz’s Scale of Perception of Injury in Sport (SPUwS) (Blecharz, 2008). Series of mediation analyses were performed to estimate the strength of the indirect relationship between the general tendency to use imagery and the use of imagery in rehabilitation. It was fund that the general tendency to use imagery turned out to have a strong direct effect on rehabilitation imagery. Reflection and seeking positive sides turned out to be a mediator between general tendency to use imagery and all rehabilitation imagery dimensions. Reflection has the strongest effect between the general tendency to use imagery and cognitive specific imagery. General tendency to use imagery mediates the relationship between personality and imagery of rehabilitation. Some personality traits also influence directly imagery of rehabilitation. Our findings have revealed that the general tendency to use ima - gery may strengthen the relationship between personality and rehabilitation imagery. It may help to adjust the methods which might positively influence the rehabilitation process.

Bioinformational theory has been proposed by Lang (1979a), who suggests that mental images can be understood as products of the brain's information processing capacity. Imagery involves activation of a network of propositionally coded information stored in long-term memory. Propositions concerning physiological and behavioral responses provide a prototype for overt behavior. Processing of response information is associated with somatovisceral arousal. The theory has implications for imagery rehearsal in sport psychology and can account for a variety of findings in the mental practice literature. Hypotheses drawn from bioinformational theory were tested. College athletes imagined four scenes during which their heart rates were recorded. Subjects tended to show increases in heart rate when imagining scenes with which they had personal experience and which would involve cardiovascular activation if experienced in real life. Nonsignificant heart rate changes were found when the scene involved activation but was one with which subjects did not have personal experience.

This thesis is written as a collection of research papers through which the cognitive and motivational effects of imagery on sports performance were investigated. A number of research methodologies, ranging from a quasi-experimental design to a multiple-baseline across participants design, were employed to explore the effects of imagery. The first section of this thesis explored the cognitive effects of imagery. Specifically, study I examined the effects of different visual imagery perspectives and kinaesthetic imagery on the acquisition and retention of a simple gymnastics routine. External visual imagery was shown to have superior effects over internal visual imagery for this form-based task. A significant interaction was found in the retention phase; however, follow up tests failed to clarify the nature of the interaction. Study 2 and study 3 further investigated the imagery perspective issue by exploring the strength of relationship between external visual imagery and kinaesthetic imagery, and between internal visual imagery and kinaestlictic imagery. Results indicated that when the participant is the object of the image, kinaesthetic imagery has a greater association with external visual imagery than with internal visual imagery. However, because the tasks that participants imaged were essentially form-based, the results may not generalise to other types of tasks. The second section of the thesis examined the motivational effects of imagery. Study 4 employed a multiple-baseline across participants design to establish the effect of a mastery imagery intervention on sport confidence. Consistent with Paivio's (1985) proposals, the results suggested that imagery has a motivational function as the imagery intervention was found to increase confidence. Study 5 further considered the imagery confidence relationship and two factors which may moderate this relationship, that is skill level and sport-type. The results suggest that in team sport players the type of imagery associated with confidence depends on the skill level of the player.

Almost every athlete will experience at least one sport related injury (SRI) during his or her career in sport. Because of these injuries, there is often a period of time that the athlete is removed from play and forced to complete a rehabilitation program. In order to enhance this rehabilitation process, researchers have investigated various mental skills used by athletes to enhance their recovery process. Two of the areas that research has reviewed in terms of injury rehabilitation have been imagery and self-efficacy. However, there is a lack of research in which an imagery education intervention has been implemented to see how athletes in a rehabilitation program respond in terms of their imagery use, levels of self-efficacy, and speed of recovery. Therefore, this study investigated the use of an imagery education program, and its effect on athletes' imagery use, self-efficacy and rehabilitation time. This was done through the use of the Athletic Injury Imagery Questionnaire-2 (AIIQ-2) and the Athletic Injury Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (AISEQ). Due to a high attrition rate in participation, inferential statistics were not able to be conducted in order to truly assess the effectiveness of the imagery education program. However, other conclusions were drawn based on the completion rates and various variables that may have affected those rates. The study found that female, freshman were most likely to complete the entire study, while male juniors were least likely to complete the requirements of the study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate imagery procedures used by visually impaired athletes prior to and during competition. Individual in depth interviews were conducted with 15 visually impaired goal ball players, competing at a national level. The results indicate that regardless of the degree of visual impairment, these athletes used imagery on a daily basis for functioning effectively within their handicap. Due to their lack of vision, a great deal of feeling and sound was incorporated into their imagery. Suggestions are made for the enhancement of "feeling oriented imagery" with sighted persons.

New neuroimaging techniques have made it possible to examine imagery and found evidence for that imagery share similar neural correlates as in perception. Imagery can be used in different areas to enhance performance, and it is a popular technique in sports. Similar to physical practice (PP), motor imagery (MI) can result in brain plasticity. The aim of this thesis is to describe what imagery means and describe different theories of imagery. This is to further look into what impact MI has on performance in different sports, and then to further see if there are any changes in brain plasticity as a result of using MI. There is a lack of studies done on MI, performance and brain plasticity in sport. To answer the latter focus of this thesis, studies of healthy persons and patient studies using MI to improve performance and examining changes in the brain have been used. In order to do that this thesis aims to do a literature review. The results indicate that MI combined with PP can improve sport performance. It has also been showed that MI alone can be as good as PP. Most studies found that MI combined with PP can result in brain plasticity, and only one study did not found evidence for it. It has also showed that MI alone can result in brain plasticity. Future research should include larger samples, matching subjects, and comparing the effects of MI in several kinds of sports.

Blakeslee och Goff (2007) föreslår att dressyrryttares visualiseringsfärdigheter bör skilja sig från andra sporter som inte involverar ett djur. Enligt Murphy, Nordin och Cumming, (2008) finns det ett behov av ett instrument som tar hänsyn till visualiseringstyp, funktion och dess utgång. The survey of imagery experiences in sport (SIES; Weibull & Wallsbeck, 2009; Wallsbeck & Weibull, 2009) är ett relativt nytt instrument som mäter dessa variabler. Syftena i denna studie var därför att: (1) studera elitdressyrryttares visualiseringsupplevelser, (2) studera elitdressyrryttares förståelse och (3) upplevelse av instrumentet SIES. En kombination av kvalitativ och kvantitativ metod användes i studien. Dressyrryttarnas visualiseringsupplevelser skiljde sig till viss del från tidigare forskning. Till exempel användes flest visualiseringsmönster för syftet hitta rätt känsla och hörselsinnet inkluderades i många visualiseringsmönster. Deltagarnas förståelse och upplevelse av SIES var god med endast några få oklarheter gällande bland annat effekt och frekvens.

Blakeslee and Goff (2007) suggest that dressage riders’ imagery experience should be different from other sports that do not involve an animal. According to Murphy, Nordin and Cumming (2008), there is a need for an assessment instrument assessing the imagery type, function and outcome. The Survey of imagery experiences in sports (SIES, Weibull & Wallsbeck, 2009; Wallsbeck & Weibull, 2009) is a relatively new instrument that measures these variables. The objectives of this study was therefore to: (1) study the elite dressage riders’ imagery experiences, (2) study the elite dressage riders’ understanding and (3) experiences of the instrument SIES. A combination of qualitative and quantitative method was used in the study. The elite dressage riders’ imagery experiences partly differed from previous research. Most imagery patterns were for example used for the purpose find the right feeling and the auditory sense was included in many imagery patterns. The participants’ understanding and experience of SIES were good, with only a few ambiguities regarding for example effect and frequency.

 

 

 

 

This study explored the impact of three psychological interventions over seven weeks - goal setting (GS), GS and imagery (IM), and GS and mindful self-compassion (MSC) - on 20 athletes' (Mage = 16.75 years) pain, cognitive appraisal, depression reinjury anxiety, psychological readiness to return to sport, and range of motion (ROM). IM and GS interventions have demonstrated initial effectiveness; however, no study has examined MSC in relation to post-ACL recovery. All athletes experienced significant decrease in pain (F(2) = 97.30, p = .000) from Week 1 to Week 7 and a significant increase in ROM from Week 2 to Week 7 (F(1) = 77.93, p = .000). All athletes experienced significantly higher depression at Week 1 compared to both Week 2 and Week 7 (F(2) = 9.01, p = .001), and significantly higher difficulty coping with their injury at Weeks 1 and 2 compared to Week 7 (F(2) = 6.32, p = .005). There were no statistically significant effects found between the intervention groups at Weeks 1, 2, and 7. However there were moderate effect sizes between interventions which suggest MSC and IM could help athletes cope with their injury during the first few weeks after surgery, and GS may contribute towards less depression at seven weeks post-surgery. Limitations include small sample size, low power, and use of self-report measures. Results have implications for orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and health professionals working with athletes recovering from serious sport injury.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Ciências do Desporto
O presente estudo teve por objectivo analisar as competências psicológicas de atletas de Jiu-jitsu participantes do 3o Campeonato Europeu da modalidade. Participaram no estudo 115 atletas de diferentes nacionalidades, com idades entre os 18 e os 32 anos (25,75±3,01), os quais responderam a um questionário que, para além de algumas questões relativas a dados demográficos (e.g., idade) e desportivos (e.g., graduação e peso), incluía também a versão portuguesa do Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas et al., 1999). A análise dos resultados revelou que, nos treinos, os atletas utilizavam mais a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e o Controlo Emocional, enquanto as competências menos referidas foram o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade e a Visualização Mental. Em competição os atletas utilizavam mais a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e o Controlo Emocional e menos os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e a Autoverbalização. A Automaticidade era significativamente mais utilizada no treino do que na competição, e o Relaxamento, a Visualização Mental e a Activação eram mais usadas na competição do que no treino. No que respeita à análise em função dos anos de prática, os atletas com menos de quatro anos de prática, no treino, empregavam mais frequentemente a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Atencional e a Autoverbalização, sendo as competências menos referidas o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade e a Activação; na competição, estes atletas recorriam mais à Formulação de Objectivos, à Activação e à Visualização Mental e menos aos Pensamentos Negativos, à Automaticidade e à Autoverbalização. Os atletas com quatro ou mais anos de prática, no treino, recorriam mais à Formulação de Objectivos, ao Controlo Emocional e ao Controlo Atencional e menos ao Relaxamento, à Automaticidade e à Visualização Mental; na competição, este grupo referiu utilizar mais a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e o Controlo Emocional e menos os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e a Autoverbalização. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nas competências psicológicas usadas no treino pelos atletas com menos de quatro anos de prática e com quatro ou mais anos de prática; na competição, os Pensamentos Negativos eram significativamente mais usados pelos atletas com menos de quatro anos de prática. Em relação às categorias de peso, as competências psicológicas que os atletas da categoria Leve mais usavam no treino eram a a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Atencional e a Autoverbalização e as menos utilizadas o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade e o Controlo Emocional; as competências psicológicas mais utilizadas na competição eram a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e a Visualização Mental e as menos utilizadas os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e o Controlo Emocional. Os atletas da categoria Médio, no treino, usavam mais a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Atencional e o Controlo Emocional e menos o Relaxamento, a Visualização Menta! e a Autoverbalização; na competição recorriam mais à Activação, Formulação de Objectivos e Controlo Emocional e menos aos Pensamentos Negativos, Automaticidade e Autoverbalização. Os atletas da categoria Pesado empregavam mais, no treino, o Controlo Emocional, a Formulação de Objectivos e a Automaticidade e menos o Relaxamento, a Activação e a Autoverbalização; na competição, utilizavam mais frequentemente a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e o Relaxamento e com menos frequência os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e a Visualização Mental. No treino, o Controlo Emocional era mais utilizado pelos atletas da categoria Pesado do que pelos da categoria Leve e o Controlo Atencional era mais utilizado pelos atletas da categoria Médio do que pelos da categoria Pesado; na competição, não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nas competências psicológicas usadas pelos atletas das três categorias de peso. No que concerne à análise em função da nacionalidade, os resultados mostraram que os atletas do Brasil utilizavam mais, nos treinos, a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Emocional e o Controlo Atencional e as competências menos utilizadas foram o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade, a Visualização Mental e a Activação; na competição, os atletas brasileiros utilizavam mais a Activação, a Formulação de Objectivos e o Controlo Emocional e menos os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e a Autoverbalização. Os atletas da Europa, nos treinos, utilizavam mais a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Atencional e a Autoverbalização, sendo as competâncias menos usadas o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade e a Visualização Mental; na competição, recorriam mais à Activação, Formulação de Objectivos e Autoverbalização e menos aos Pensamentos Negativos, Automaticidade e Relaxamento. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nas competências psicológicas usadas no treino pelos atletas brasileiros e europeus; na competição, os Pensamentos Negativos eram mais referidos pelos atletas europeus que pelos brasileiros. Relativamente aos resultados dos atletas em função da sua graduação, nos treinos, os atletas de Faixa Branca faziam mais uso do Controlo Emocional, da Autoverbalização e da Formulação de Objectivos e menos do Relaxamento, Automaticidade e Activação; as competências psicológicas mais utilizadas na competição eram a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e o Controlo Emocional e as menos utilizadas os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e a Autoverbalização. As competências psicológicas mais utilizadas no treino pelos atletas de Faixa Azul eram a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Atencional e o Controlo Emocional e as menos utilizadas o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade e a Visualização Mental; na competição, estes atletas recorriam mais à Formulação de Objectivos, à Activação e à Visualização Mental e menos aos Pensamentos Negativos, ao Relaxamento e à Automaticidade, Os atletas de Faixa Roxa, no treino, usavam mais o Controlo Emocional, o Controlo Atencional e a Formulação de Objectivos e menos o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade e a Activação; na competição, recorriam mais à Formulação de Objectivos, à Activação e ao Relaxamento e menos aos Pensamentos Negativos, à Automaticidade e à Visualização Mental. As competências psicológicas mais utilizadas no treino pelos atletas de Faixa Castanha eram a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Atencional e o Controlo Emocional e as menos utilizadas o Relaxamento, a Automaticidade e a Visualização Mental; na competição, usavam mais a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e o Controlo Emocional e menos os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e o Relaxamento. As competências psicológicas mais utilizadas no treino pelos atletas de Faixa Preta eram a Formulação de Objectivos, o Controlo Emocional e o Controlo Atencional e as menos utilizadas o Relaxamento, a Activação e a Visualização Mental; as competências psicológicas mais utilizadas na competição eram a Formulação de Objectivos, a Activação e o Relaxamento e as menos utilizadas os Pensamentos Negativos, a Automaticidade e a Autoverbalização. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nas competências psicológicas usadas no treino pelos atletas de diferentes graduações (Faixas); na competição, o Relaxamento era significativamente mais usado pelos atletas de Faixa Preta do que pelos de Faixa Azul e os Pensamentos Negativos eram mais utilizados pelos atletas de Faixa Azul do que pelos de Faixa Castanha.

Self-efficacy theory is one of the most researched topics in sport psychology. This chapter defines self-efficacy and provides an overview of the antecedents and outcomes of strong and weak self-efficacy. An overview of self-efficacy-based research in disability sport is also provided. Correlational work has demonstrated that athletes with strong self-efficacy, relative to athletes with weaker efficacy, have stronger psychological skills, less anxiety, more positive affect, and less negative affect and receive more social support from significant others. Imagery and self-talk are also related to self-efficacy providing theoretical support for these two antecedents. Athletes with strong training self-efficacy also tend to have strong performance self-efficacy. Research examining self-efficacy for pain management and the challenges of training is advocated as well as longitudinal research and intervention work. Similarly, work examining disability and disability sport–specific antecedents and outcomes of efficacy is called for, as is research into coach, team, and referee self-efficacy.

Athletes with disabilities can perform more consistently and come closer to their potential if they maximize their mental skills as well as their physical skills. The purpose of this chapter is to present of humanistic developmental model of psychological skills training and an examination of disability sport psychology research on psychological skills. A humanistic developmental model prioritizes both athlete performance and well-being as they are viewed as complementary goals that exert a bidirectional influence on each other. In this model foundational factors, psychological skills and qualities, psychological methods, and facilitative and debilitative factors are seen as relatively distinct categories. Researchers have supported the importance of foundational factors, as reported in other chapters. Researchers have also supported the value of imagery and self-talk as methods to enhance confidence, motivation, and psychological skills, which in turn are positively related to performance. A host of facilitative and debilitative factors in disability sport also influence training quality and performance.