Sport Imagery Research Articles

Effects of app-based imagery training on imagery skills and technical performance in junior national squash athletes

This study explores the impact of app-based imagery and traditional methods (i.e., reflective diary) on cognitive-specific (CS) imagery in junior national squash athletes. A total of 75 participants (mean age = 15.22, SD = 2.14) without prior imagery training were allocated into app-based imagery (n = 25), reflective diary (n = 25), and control groups (n = 25). After an imagery workshop and a 12-week reinforcement, CS imagery scores were assessed pretest, post-test, and follow-up using the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ), as well as technical shot execution (i.e., drive, boast, dropshot, lob, and volley). Using one-way repeated measures analysis of variance and the Friedman test, we examined differences in CS imagery and technical skills across timepoints. The app-based group showed significant improvements in SIQ scores at post- (F(2,72) = 58.53, p < .001, η2 = 0.61) and follow-up tests (F(2,72) = 97.31, p < .001, η2 = 0.73), as well as in technical skills (drive, χ2(2) = 40.92, p < 0.001; boast, χ2(2) = 45.81, p < 0.001; dropshot, χ2(2) = 38.57, p < 0.001; lob, χ2(2) = 42.51, p < 0.001; volley, χ2(2) = 41.81, p < 0.001). A post-hoc analysis revealed that the app-based imagery group experienced the most substantial effect, surpassing reflective diary and control groups, indicating the effectiveness of app-based interventions in enhancing CS imagery and technical performance. The results demonstrate that mobile applications represent a practical and effective substitute for traditional imagery and mental skill reinforcement techniques, rendering these essential tools more accessible to athletes.

An Investigation of the Relationship Between Imagery and Sportive Confidence in Volleyball Athletes

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between imagery in sports and the sportive confidence in athletes who play volleyball. 277 elite athletes who play volleyball, from 3 league levels (1st League, 2nd League, and Super League) between the ages of 18 and 35 (23.32 ± 4.16), of which 157 are women (21.78 ± 3.54), and 120 are men (25.33 ± 4.04) form the sample population of the research. Personal Information Form, Imaging Inventory, and Continuous Sportive Self-Confidence Inventory were applied to collect data. Independent T-test was applied to examine the distribution of the scores of sub-dimensions of imaging in sports and sportive confidence according to the variables gender, status of national team participation, and athlete's age, and Tukey HSD test with One-Way ANOVA was applied to examine the distribution according to active years in sports, age, and league level. After the findings from the analysis, it was determined that there was a meaningful difference between the sub-dimensions of imaging in sports and sportive confidence scores according to the variables of age, gender, sports age, the status of national team participation, league level, and active years in sports (p&amp;lt;0.05).

Development and Validation of the Ease of Imagery Questionnaire.

The present series of studies aimed to develop and provide initial validation of the Ease of Imagery Questionnaire (EIQ)-a measure assessing ease of imaging different positive and negative imagery content reflective of valence and engaging or disengaging in adverse situations. Five studies were conducted to collectively examine the questionnaire's factor structure and concurrent validity. Study 1 (N = 336) and Study 2 (N = 207) informed the development of 16 items of the EIQ, with a four-factor structure supported in Studies 3 (N = 219), 4 (N = 135), and 5 (N = 184) using confirmatory factor analysis. Study 3 also supported concurrent validity with significant bivariate correlations (p < .05) with the similar Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire subscales, while studies 4 and 5 demonstrated criterion validity in the EIQ's prediction of challenge and threat appraisal tendencies, perceived stress, stress mindset, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Overall, the EIQ demonstrates a replicable four-factor structure and appears to assess ability to image content associated with positive and negative emotions as well as demanding stress-evoking situations.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES OF STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL TENNIS PLAYERS

The present study aimed to understand the relationship between mindfulness, mental imagery, and subjective sports performance satisfaction. This study was done on male tennis players aged 18 to 28 years who play competitive tennis at the State and National Levels in India. The tools used to measure the variables were The Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) by Brown &amp; Ryan (2003), Sports Imagery Ability Questionnaire by Williams &amp; Cumming (2014) and Athlete’s Subjective Performance Scale (ASPS) by Nahum et al. (2016). The results of the study show that the national-level tennis players had better self-reported satisfaction scores than the state-level players. Zero-order correlations showed that there was a statistically significant, moderate, positive correlation between Mindfulness and mental imagery (r(53) = -.304, n = 55, p &lt; .05), indicating that subjective sports performance satisfaction had very little influence in controlling for the relationship between Mindfulness score and mental imagery.

The gut-brain connection: elevating mental health and performance in sports and physical activity through imagery

Abstract Exploring the connections between imagery in sports and physical activity and the well-being of both the body and mind in relation to gut health is a new research area gaining in popularity. This interplay is crucial where peak performance requires the mind and body to be harmonious. Imagery techniques are powerful tools that athletes can tap into to optimize their gut-brain performance. Incorporating imagery techniques into training and performance routines is an accessible and low-cost psychological skills training technique.

Psychometric Properties of the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ) in Turkish Culture

This study aims to adapt the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ) to Turkish culture. The data was collected via an online questionnaire from 315 university students. To test SIAQ construct validity, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. The five-factor construct of the SIAQ ensures model data fit based on the fit indices (χ2 /(df)= 171.171/ (80) =2.14, p&amp;lt;.001; RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.062[0.049, 0.075], CFit p =0.058; TLI = 0.934; CFI = 0.950; SRMR = 0.038). As a result, the five-factor model confirms the construct at a high level of agreement. Second-order CFI results show that the sport imagery ability consists of five sub-constructs is well supported (χ2 /(df)= 180.156/ (85) =2.25, p&amp;lt;.001; RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.062 [0.049, 0.074], 0.062, CFit p =0.062; TLI = 0.935; CFI = 0.947; SRMR = 0.039). SIAQ determined measurement invariance in gender groups, and metric invariance was provided. Due to factor loadings being over 0.5 and AVEs being around 0.5, and CRs being over 0.7, convergent validity is provided. In addition, the Cronbach alpha values of the scale and all subdimensions were over 0.7. According to the results, SIAQ is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring sport imagery ability in Turkish culture.

Cross cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VMIQ-2)

The VMIQ-2 has been proven a valid and useful psychometric tool to measure the ability of vividness of movement imagery in sports. However, no validity study has been reported in Greek. The purpose of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of the VMIQ-2 into Greek in adult athletes derived from various sports activities and different athletic levels. The VMIQ-2-GR (n = 160) was examined for translation, construct and discriminant validity, and also for internal consistency and test–retest reliability. CFA did not show acceptable global fit indices and only the index of (x2/df) showed an acceptable fit. The resulting factors of the EFA highlighted the discrepancy between the Greek version and the original version of the VMIQ-2. The results of the discriminant validity confirmed that the VMIQ-2-GR was well discriminated between subgroups of athletes and, therefore, showed a good discriminant validity. The Cronbach a coefficient was excellent at both measurements (> 0.92 in all cases for all factors). The Spearman rho correlation coefficients were statistically significant (< 0.001) with values > 0.47. The findings of the VMIQ-2–GR suggest that it is a valid and reliable tool and it can be used by sports psychologists, sports physiotherapists, coaches and researchers who aim to apply MI in the Greek athletic population.

Investigation of Imagery Behaviours and visualization of Athletes in Different Sports Branches

This research aims Investigation of Imagery Behaviours and visualization of Athletes in Different Sports Branches. The "Imagination Imagery in Sports" scale was used. "T-Test and ANOVA" and "post hoc (Tukey)" tests were applied to find the difference between the groups regarding the sub-dimensions of our study. When examined according to gender and branch variables, it is seen that there is no statistically significant difference between the sub-dimensions (p&gt;0.05). In contrast, a significant difference was found in the motivational general arousal sub-dimension (p

“It’s still Cleveland baseball”

In the summer of 2021, Cleveland’s Major League Baseball franchise announced the rebranding of the club’s nickname from the decades-long controversial “Indians” to the” Guardians.” The long-standing use of Native American imagery in sport has long been the source of contention, and for this reason, the Cleveland Guardians have continually been in the public eye prior to their rebrand. This article examines both the organization’s rebranding efforts and media coverage surrounding the team’s new identity. Guided by the theory of framing, this study applies themes of sports rebranding to analyze the team’s announcement video and sequentially deploys an inductive approach to identify the media frames present following the rebranding. Three sports rebrand frames were identified from the Cleveland Guardians’ announcement: regional pride, nostalgia, and rebirth. The media response looked at 79 articles and found two higher-order frames - broader movements and branding commentary – with six subcategories. In total, these frames indicated that rebranding efforts sought to center the new identity around the city of Cleveland while deemphasizing damages from the use of derogatory racial Native American imagery. The media response also shows that the rebrand is contextualized through broader movements and is politically contentious. Future directions of framing theory in sports rebranding and the discourse around the use and removal of racial imagery in sports is discussed.

I’ve Seen This, So I’ve Got This! Exploring the Use of Imagery and Self-Talk Within Action Sports Athletes

The present study aimed to expand the current knowledge of psychological skills usage within athletes of action sports by exploring the use of imagery and self-talk within skateboarders and snowboarders. Skateboarders and snowboarders (N 5 74) completed the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI-28; Smith et al., 1995), the Self-Talk Questionnaire (S-TQ) for sports (Zervas et al., 2007), and the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ; Hall et al., 1998). Results indicated that participants scored significantly higher than reported norms of traditional athletes (Smith et al., 1995) on the coping with adversity and goal-setting/mental preparation subscales of the ACSI-28, and to a similar degree to traditional athletes on the remaining subscales. However, participants scored significantly lower on the total score of the ACSI-28 than previously reported action sports athletes (Young & Knight, 2014). Participants scored significantly higher than reported norms of traditional athletes on the cognitive functional and motivational functional subscales of the S-TQ. On the SIQ, participants scored significantly lower than reported norms for traditional athletes (Hall et al., 2005) on the MG-M subscale, while scoring similarly to reported norms on the CG, CS, MS, and MG-A subscales. Results of the present study confirm that action sports athletes utilize psychological skills to a degree similar to that of traditional athletes, and that skateboarders and snowboarders specifically include the use of imagery and self-talk within their psychological skills arsenal.

Effectiveness of Psychological Skills Training on Resilience and Grit Among Basketball Players

The present study aimed to study the effectiveness of psychological skill training (mental imagery and self-talk) on resilience and grit among college basketball players. The sample targeted was the college basketball team – male: 12 and female: 12 for the pre-test. Based on the results of the pre-test the participants with low or normal resilience and grit and high sport imagery ability were selected for the 3-week intervention. The results shows there is no significant effect of PST resilience and grit among the basketball players.

Exploring the influence of personal factors on physiological responses to mental imagery in sport

Imagery is a well-known technique in mental training which improves performance efficiency and influences physiological arousal. One of the biomarkers indicating the amount of physiological arousal is skin conductance level (SCL). The aim of our study is to understand how individual differences in personality (e.g. neuroticism), general imagery and situational sport anxiety are linked to arousal measuring with SCL in situational imagery. Thirty participants aged between 14 and 42 years (M = 22.93; SD = 5.24), with sport experience ranging between 2 and 20 years (M = 10.15; SD = 4.75), took part in our study. Participants listened to each previously recorded script and then were asked to imagine the scene for a minute. During the task SCL was monitored using the Biofeedback Expert 2000. Machine learning predictive models based on artificial neural networks have been trained for prediction of physiological response, as a function of selected psychological tests. We found an association among neuroticism, prestart anxiety, and general tendency to use imagery with SCL. From a practical point of view our results may help athletes, coaches, and psychologists to be more aware of the role of individual differences in sport.

A Comprehensive Analysis: Sports Imagery Ability Of State Level Badminton Players From North-Eastern State India

A Comprehensive Analysis: Sports Imagery Ability Of State Level Badminton Players From North-Eastern State India

The Relationship of Use of Imagery in Sports with Athletic Mental Energy

Sportif performans belirli psikolojik özelliklere bağlı olduğundan, zihinsel enerji sporcular için anahtar niteliğindedir. İmgelemenin sportif performansı artırmak için kullanılan zihinsel bir yöntem olması, onu zihinsel enerji ile birlikte ele almanın gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır. Mevcut çalışmada, sporcuların algıladıkları zihinsel atletik enerji düzeylerinin imgeleme kullanımlarına etkisinin belirlenmesi ve sporcuların demografik özelliklerinde anlamlı bir farklılık olup olmadığının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu toplam 303 sporcu oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak; araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan "Kişisel Bilgi Formu", "Sporda İmgeleri Envanteri (SİE)" ve "Atletik Zihinsel Enerji Ölçeği (AZEÖ)" kullanılmıştır. Bulgulara göre, imgelemenin sporda kullanım değerleri incelendiğinde, bilişsel imgeleme alt boyutunda erkek sporcular lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık gözlenmiştir. Atletik Zihinsel Enerji Ölçeği sakinlik alt boyutunda takım sporcular lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca ölçeklerin ilişkisinde genel olarak olumlu ve orta düzeyde anlamlı ilişkilerin olduğu görülmektedir. Sonuç olarak, erkek sporcuların bilişsel imgeleme düzeylerinin kadın sporculara göre daha yüksek olduğu, takım sporlarıyla ilgilenen sporcuların sakinlik düzeylerinin bireysel spor yapan sporculara göre daha yüksek olduğu görülmüştür. Ek olarak, sporcuların algıladıkları zihinsel atletik enerji düzeyindeki değişimler sporcuların imgeleme kullanım düzeyini etkiler.

Interactive effects of dispositional mindfulness and PETTLEP imagery training on basketball shooting performance: A randomized controlled trial

The purpose of this study was to examine the interactive effects of dispositional mindfulness and visualized PETTLEP imagery training on basketball mid-range shooting performance and retention. Seventy-three participants (M age = 20.32 ± 1.09) with high/low dispositional mindfulness (high n = 35; low n = 38) selected out of 302 college students were randomly assigned into the following six groups: (a) high mindfulness internal imagery (H-II, n = 13); (b) high mindfulness external imagery (H-EI, n = 11); (c) high mindfulness control (H–CO, n = 11); (d) low mindfulness internal imagery (L-II, n = 13); (e) low mindfulness external imagery (L-EI, n = 12); and (f) low mindfulness control (L-CO, n = 13). Participants engaged in a pretest to measure their basketball shooting performance, then participated in a 6-week (3 times/per-week) intervention, plus a posttest and retention test. A three-way 2 (high/low mindfulness) X 3 (treatments: internal-, external imagery, and control) X 3 (measurement time: pretest, posttest, and retention) mixed ANOVA statistical analysis found dispositional mindfulness interacted with treatments and measurement time. The main effects showed high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low dispositional mindfulness, and internal imagery training performed better than external imagery training on mid-range basketball performance at retention. The 3–way interaction indicated that when using either internal or external imagery, high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low mindfulness on retention but not posttest. For 2-way interaction, high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low dispositional mindfulness on retention but not posttest. Our results extended current knowledge on sport imagery and dispositional mindfulness and gained several theoretical implications for researchers. The limitations, future research directions, and practical implications were also discussed.

Incivility and Washington’s NFL Franchise: Exploring Uncivil Discourse in Sports Blog Comment Sections

The current study sought to explore the prevalence of uncivil discourse surrounding the Washington NFL team’s removal of offensive Native American imagery and later rebranding as the Washington Commanders. The study employed a quantitative content analysis to assess comment sections of news stories on a sports blog between 2014 and 2022. In addition to uncivil discourse, contextual elements such as popularity, reciprocity, and directionality of incivility were also examined. Dovetailing with existing research, roughly one quarter of all comments featured an element of uncivil discourse, with derogatory slurs toward Native Americans being particularly common. Additionally, contextual elements served important roles in the facilitation of incivility. Taken together, the results point to some of the antisocial behavior that can occur in seemingly innocuous online spaces that often reflect broader social and political turmoil related to Native American imagery in sport.

Psychometric Support for a Japanese Version of the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire.

In this two-part study, we addressed psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ-J). We analyzed the SIAQ-J factor structure, assessed gender, competitive level, sport type and years of experience differences on the SIAQ-J, and we investigated whether the SIAQ-J was predicted by goal clarity. In Study 1, we translated the original SIAQ (15 items) into Japanese and performed an exploratory factor analysis (n = 366). In Study 2 (n = 422), we verified the measurement model established in Study 1 with exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Study 1 found five exploratory factors-skill, strategy, goal, affect and mastery imagery-and these were confirmed through the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) conducted in Study 2. Structural equation modelling supported a model wherein goal clarity positively predicted all SIAQ-J subscales. This study provided additional validation of the original SIAQ. Overall, the SIAQ-J demonstrated good factorial validity, temporal reliability and gender invariance and discriminated among athletes of different competitive levels and years of experience.

A Real-world Examination of Progressive Imagery Delivery in Competitive Basketball

Effective delivery of imagery training has been studied for some time. Recently, researchers have determined that, in some contexts, Progressive Imagery (PI), in which content is added to the imagery script in phases, can be more effective than Routine Imagery (RI), in which all the imagery content is presented in every session of an imagery program. However, most research to date consists of field studies, lacking ecological validity. We examined the efficacy of a PI program presented to highly-skilled basketball players in league competition across a whole season, using a Single-Case Design (SCD). Participants were five male players from Division 1 of the State Basketball League, who were pre-tested on the Sport Imagery Ability Measure (SIAM) to ensure they had at least moderate imagery ability. We monitored their Free-Throw Shooting (FTS) percentage in every league match of the whole season. The first 4 to 6 matches (Phase A) gave a stable baseline. Phase B, again lasting 4 to 6 matches, involved imagery that focused on static aspects of FTS movements. In Phase C (4 to 6 matches), more complex elements of FTS were added to imagery, including teammates and opponents on court. Phase D, lasting at least 4 matches, introduced imagery of a high-pressure context in which the FTS shot would decide the match. At the end of the season, each participant was interviewed about his experiences with imagery. We employed visual analysis and the split-middle technique to measure performance and self-efficacy. On these measures, all participants improved their FTS from baseline to Phase D, although two performed best in Phase C. Participants reported feeling comfortable with the changing phases, although one commented that he would have preferred the high-pressure imagery earlier, before he faced real high-pressure finals. We concluded that PI was an effective intervention among highly-skilled participants over a full competition season, while timing of high-pressure imagery should be tested prior to crucial season-ending matches.

Impact of Sports Anxiety and Sports Imagery on Performance among Athletes

It has been seen that sports anxiety and imagery have a significant impact on athletes’ performance. Therefore, the present study examines the impact of sports anxiety and imagery on athletes' performance. Participants comprised 200 athletes from different sports institutes of Sargodha. The score obtained from Sports Anxiety Scale is used to measure sports anxiety. The score obtained from the Warwick-Edinburgh Sports Performance Scale is used to measure the performance of the athletes. The score obtained from Sports Imagery Scale is used to measure sports imagery. Linear regression was applied to test the objective. It was found that 140 participants experienced anxiety (70%), whereas 60 participants did not reveal anxiety (30%). Findings revealed that sports anxiety negatively predicted sports performance, whereas sports imagery positively predicted sports performance.

Improving the reporting of sport imagery interventions with TIDieR

Imagery is a popular technique for enhancing learning, performance, and rehabilitation in sport, but mixed evidence exists to its effectiveness. There have been wide variations in the methods used to deliver imagery interventions and the level of detail reported, making it difficult to draw comparisons across studies. Moreover, there have been few efforts to date to replicate the findings of previous intervention studies. The aim of this paper is to articulate the need for standardized reporting of imagery interventions, which can be achieved through application of the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR; Hoffmann et al., 2014). The TIDieR is a 12-item checklist to provide fuller, more accurate and standardized reporting so that these future imagery interventions can be more effectively delivered in practice or replicated in research. We use the TIDieR to describe a personalized guided imagery intervention for improving student-athletes’ regulatory responses to competitive anxiety. Overall, this paper offers practical and evidence-based guidance for researchers designing imagery interventions and recommendations to enable journal editors and reviewers to make easier judgements about rigor. It may also serve as a pedagogical resource for students and trainee sport psychologists undertaking applied research as part of their training.