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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.

<p>One image can have various functions for one individual (Nordin & Cumming, 2005).</p><p>Therefore this study took a qualitative approach to examine the following purposes: (1) To</p><p>examine ice hockey players’ understanding of imagery, (2) to examine ice hockey players</p><p>imagery experiences and (3) to examine ice hockey players’ strategies to improve their</p><p>imagery. Eleven elite ice hockey players (m = 23,09) participated in this study, they were</p><p>interviewed using the instrument IPIES (Weibull, 2008). The result showed that: (1) ten</p><p>players had a correct and limited understanding for the concept imagery, (2) ten players</p><p>experienced imagery and (3) all players in some way wanted improve their imagery. The</p><p>players experienced voluntary, spontaneous and involuntary imagery. Involuntary had a</p><p>negative effect that support previous findings by Weibull (2005), further this study</p><p>support Cumming and Hall (2002) that some athletes experience spontaneous imagery.</p><p>The results were discussed in relation to previous imagery research.</p>

<p>The development of imagery has been found in intervention studies. No previous study was found with the purpose of the development of imagery experiences without the influence of an intervention. Therefore the present paper monitored five ice hockey players’ imagery experiences during a season and examined the following objectives: a) The dynamicity and stability of the ice hockey players’ imagery patterns; b) The factors influencing the development of ice hockey players’ imagery experiences; c) Individual differences concerning the imagery experiences. A combination between qualitative and quantitative methods was used in the study. The results showed that the players experienced both stable and dynamic imagery patterns. Based on the Action theory (Nitsch, 1985), personal, environmental and performance/task factors were shown to influence the stability and dynamicity of the players’ idiosyncratic imagery experiences. The results of this study show why imagery experiences are changed and offer great implications to applied work.</p> / <p>Forskning har visat att visualisering kan vara dynamisk över tid. Ingen studie har dock funnits som studerat dynamiken av visualisering utan påverkan av en intervention. Denna studie undersökte därfor fem ishockeyspelares visualiseringsupplevelser under en säsong utan påverkan av en intervention med följande syften: a) dynamiken och stabiliteten hos ishockeyspelarnas visualiseringsmönster; b) vilka faktorer som påverkar utvecklingen av visualiseringsupplevelserna; c) individuella skillnader i visualiseringsupplevelserna. En kombination av kvalitativ och kvantitativ metod behandlades i studien. Resultatet visade att visualiseringsmönstern upplevdes vara stabila och dynamiska över tid. Utifrån Action Theory (Nitsch, 1985) visade studien att personliga, miljö- och prestations/uppgiftsfaktorer påverkade stabiliteten i spelarnas visualiseringsupplevelser. Resultatet från denna studie visar varför visualiseringsupplevelserna förandrades över tid och är en fördelaktig kunskap för idrottspsykologer att tillämpa i det pratiska arbetet med visualisering.</p>

The development of imagery has been found in intervention studies. No previous study was found with the purpose of the development of imagery experiences without the influence of an intervention. Therefore the present paper monitored five ice hockey players’ imagery experiences during a season and examined the following objectives: a) The dynamicity and stability of the ice hockey players’ imagery patterns; b) The factors influencing the development of ice hockey players’ imagery experiences; c) Individual differences concerning the imagery experiences. A combination between qualitative and quantitative methods was used in the study. The results showed that the players experienced both stable and dynamic imagery patterns. Based on the Action theory (Nitsch, 1985), personal, environmental and performance/task factors were shown to influence the stability and dynamicity of the players’ idiosyncratic imagery experiences. The results of this study show why imagery experiences are changed and offer great implications to applied work. / Forskning har visat att visualisering kan vara dynamisk över tid. Ingen studie har dock funnits som studerat dynamiken av visualisering utan påverkan av en intervention. Denna studie undersökte därfor fem ishockeyspelares visualiseringsupplevelser under en säsong utan påverkan av en intervention med följande syften: a) dynamiken och stabiliteten hos ishockeyspelarnas visualiseringsmönster; b) vilka faktorer som påverkar utvecklingen av visualiseringsupplevelserna; c) individuella skillnader i visualiseringsupplevelserna. En kombination av kvalitativ och kvantitativ metod behandlades i studien. Resultatet visade att visualiseringsmönstern upplevdes vara stabila och dynamiska över tid. Utifrån Action Theory (Nitsch, 1985) visade studien att personliga, miljö- och prestations/uppgiftsfaktorer påverkade stabiliteten i spelarnas visualiseringsupplevelser. Resultatet från denna studie visar varför visualiseringsupplevelserna förandrades över tid och är en fördelaktig kunskap för idrottspsykologer att tillämpa i det pratiska arbetet med visualisering.

One image can have various functions for one individual (Nordin & Cumming, 2005). Therefore this study took a qualitative approach to examine the following purposes: (1) To examine ice hockey players’ understanding of imagery, (2) to examine ice hockey players imagery experiences and (3) to examine ice hockey players’ strategies to improve their imagery. Eleven elite ice hockey players (m = 23,09) participated in this study, they were interviewed using the instrument IPIES (Weibull, 2008). The result showed that: (1) ten players had a correct and limited understanding for the concept imagery, (2) ten players experienced imagery and (3) all players in some way wanted improve their imagery. The players experienced voluntary, spontaneous and involuntary imagery. Involuntary had a negative effect that support previous findings by Weibull (2005), further this study support Cumming and Hall (2002) that some athletes experience spontaneous imagery. The results were discussed in relation to previous imagery research.

Recreational athletes are encouraged to use mental imagery by their coaches less frequently than elite athletes (Jedlic, Hall, Munroe-Chandler, & Hall, 2007). The purpose of this study was to examine whether a mental imagery workshop would increase recreational level coaches’ encouragement of imagery to their athletes when compared to coaches attending a communication workshop. The workshops provided coaches with imagery or communication information and tools as well as role-playing opportunities. Recreational sport coaches (N = 132; M age = 41.80 years, SD = 9.67) completed the Coaches Encouragement of Athletes Imagery Use Questionnaire (CEAIUQ; Jedlic et al.), Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q; Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004), and questionnaires assessing coaches’ demographics, confidence, knowledge, and attitudes towards imagery. These questionnaires were completed before the workshop and online four weeks later. Repeated measure MANCOVAs, controlling for sex and highest level coached, were performed comparing the coaches’ encouragement of imagery use, as well as their confidence, attitudes, and knowledge of mental imagery, across the two study groups. No group by time interactions were found for any of the five functions of imagery. However, group by time interactions were found for knowledge (F(1, 132) = 5.45, p = .02, ηp2 = .040), attitudes (F(1,132) = 4.45, p = .01, ηp2 = .055) and confidence (F(1,132),= 7.10, p = .04, ηp2 = .032) towards imagery. Paired-samples t-tests demonstrated that the mental imagery group significantly increased their confidence from baseline to follow-up (t(65) = -2.75, p = .01). Findings provide direction for designing future coach education training programs and aid in understanding recreational sport coaches’ views on encouraging their athletes to use imagery. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 10:35:41.541

Self-efficacy has consistently distinguished between highly successful and less successful athletes. Given this relationship there is demand in sport to have strategies to enhance self-efficacy. The use of motivational general-mastery (MG-M) imagery is an effective psychological technique to enhance self-efficacy. What moderates the effectiveness of this technique is the athlete’s ability to use MG-M imagery. A single-subject multiple baseline design was employed where inter-collegiate golfers (n = 3; male) completed baseline and post-intervention measures: Motivational Imagery Ability Measure for Sport and the Golf Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. Participants completed the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory prior to each competition and the score recorded for each round of golf was used to evaluate performance. Participants engaged in six sessions of guided MG-M imagery training over a 3-week period. The results of the study demonstrated that the sport confidence and golf self-efficacy of Participants 2 and 3 improved, while Participant 1 remained at a relatively constant level. All participants showed improved imagery ability and Participants 1 and 3 demonstrated improved golf performance. Post-experimental interviews indicated all participants felt the imagery training program was effective and appropriate for their sport.