The study aimed to examine whether an experimental imagery intervention, which elicited ecological
representations of self, was more effective in enhancing vividness of movement imagery, action
control and performance ability than a conventional imagery intervention and/or that of a standard,
instruction intervention. In order to test this hypothesis, a sample of 36 young ballet dancers
(11-13 years) were secured from five reputable ballet schools and randomly assigned to three groups
(n = 12) for the purposes of conducting a true experiment: a standard control group, an imagery
control group and an experimental imagery group.
Descriptive statistics and frequencies were conducted for all instruments used to describe and
represent single variables of interest. Parametric and nonparametric statistical procedures were used
to determine whether significant differences existed between the three groups for measures of
vividness of movement imagery, action control and performance ability. Additional emerging
relationships and trends were explored through bivariate correlational analyses, multiple stepwise
regression procedures, a factor analysis as well as MANOVA and ANOVA statistical procedures.
The results of the study were varied and some interesting trends were observed. Contrary to what
was expected, the results revealed significant differences across the three groups for mean difference
scores of performance ability, in favour of the standard control group. In particular, the standard
control group revealed positive benefits in performance ability while the imagery control and
experimental imagery groups revealed deteriorations in performance ability. The experimental
imagery group was found to be significantly different from the imagery control group for mean
difference measures of internal vividness ofmovement imagery. However, the study failed to reveal
significant variations in mean difference scores for action control across the three groups.
Furthermore, the results indicated that external and internal vividness of movement imagery were
found to be significantly correlated with performance ability for the entire sample (N = 36) and across
the two imagery groups (N = 24) respectively. Finally, numerous significant and near-significant
relationships were observed between measures of vividness of movement imagery, action control and
performance ability.
The results were discussed in relation to the literature on mental imagery, ecological self, action
control and development. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/3940 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | van der Westhuizen, Diane. |
| Contributors | Basson, Clive. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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