Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity

Psychometric Properties of the Revised Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ-R)

Eva V. Monsma — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:10:27 PST

The revised Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ-R: Hall & Martin, 1997) assesses visual and kinesthetic movement imagery abilities and has become a popular questionnaire in sport and exercise psychology research. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the MIQ-R including internal consistency, stability, factor structure, and gender invariance. There were 325 male (n = 136) and female (n = 189) athletes/dancers who participated in the study. Gender-specific internal consistency coefficients ranged from .83 to .89 and the test-retest reliabilities over a one week period for the subscales were .80 for visual and .81 for kinesthetic imagery abilities. The best model fit from confirmatory factor analyses results was for a 2-factor structure with an interrelationship between the subscales. These results support the finding that visual and kinesthetic imagery abilities are separate but related constructs. An examination of invariance by gender indicated that the model fit females better than males.

Characteristics Affecting the Use of Imagery: A Youth Sports Academy Study

John K. Parker — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:18:56 PST

An understanding of the effects of imagery on performance is well documented (Weinberg, 2008). However, most of the research has been conducted examining adult athletes (Hall, 2001); few studies have investigated the characteristics of youth sport performers imagery use. Participants from a United Kingdom sports academy included 74 individuals (42 male, 32 female), with a mean age of 16.76 (SD = 0.72). The sample included 24 national, 23 county, and 27 club athletes from a total of 13 sports. Participants completed the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ; Hall et al., 1998) and the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire (VMIQ; Issac et al., 1986). Participants were grouped according to competitive level, practice volume, and imagery ability. Results indicated that athletes use motivational general-mastery imagery most frequently with motivational general-arousal used the least. There was also a significant difference between practice volume and subsequent imagery use. The results suggest that applied practitioners' working with youth sport performers should consider practice volume as a potential characteristic that influences the frequency of imagery use.

Impact of Differing Frequencies of PETTLEP Imagery on Netball Shooting Performance

Caroline J. Wakefield — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:21:27 PDT

This study examined the effects of differing frequencies of PETTLEP imagery on netball shooting performance. Thirty-two female participants were divided into four groups: PETTLEP imagery once per week (1x/wk), PETTLEP imagery twice per week (2x/wk), PETTLEP imagery three times per week (3x/wk) and a control. During the pre-test and post-test participants were required to complete a total of twenty shots from five different points within the shooting zone. They were awarded points (out of five) for each shot, giving a possible total of 100 points. The numbers of shots scored was also recorded. Following the pre-test, the imagery participants imaged the twenty shots the required number of times per week. The control group completed some netball specific stretching. Transfer tests were also completed to assess the transferability of the intervention to related tasks. Group x test ANOVAs for performance score and shots scored revealed a significant interaction effect (p<.01). Tukey tests revealed that the 3x/wk imagery group improved performance on both measures, whereas the 2x/wk, 1x/wk and control group did not. These results support the notion that PETTLEP imagery may be more effective if completed at least three times per week.

Does Self-Modeling Affect Imagery Ability or Vividness?

Amanda M. Rymal — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:01:28 PDT

Research has shown imagery interventions to be important tools for learning new skills, as well as enhancing competitive performance. Moreover, imagery vividness and ability are two factors shown to contribute to their effectiveness. Therefore, learning ways to increase one's imagery vividness and ability is important. Hence, the present research examined the effects of an external stimulus (i.e., a self-modeling video) on one's imagery vividness and ability. A self-modeling video is an edited video showing the desired target behaviors; in this case it was a competitive dive. Two imagery measures (VMIQ and MIQ-R) were used to capture whether the self-modeling video would influence competitive divers' imagery vividness and ability. Seven competitive divers were administered both imagery measures at pre-test and post-test. After pre-test scores were taken, the participants' individual self-modeling videos were shown on three occasions before each competition and once at each competition. The results for the VMIQ indicated that imagery vividness when imaging the self was significantly better than when imaging others, F(1,6) = 7.44, p < 0.05, η2 = .54. Of more importance is that the participants' imagery vividness increased after the self-modeling video had been administered for imaging one self but not for imaging others, although this only approached significance, F(1,6) = 3.70, p = .107, η2 = .38. No significant results, however, were found for imagery ability. These findings suggest that there is potential for a self-modeling video to positively influence an athletes' imagery vividness.

Are Images of Exercising Related to Feeling States?

Jennifer Cumming — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:01:24 PDT

This study examined the relationships between different types of exercise imagery and feeling states, and determined whether exercise behavior moderated these relationships. Following an exercise session, 162 participants (97 females, 65 male; Mage = 23.84, SD = 7.09) completed the Exercise Imagery Inventory (Giacobbi, Hausenblas, & Penfield, 2005), the Exercise-Induced Feeling Inventory (Gauvin & Rejeski, 1993), and the Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (Godin & Shephard, 1985). Positive feeling states were predicted by increased use of exercise feelings imagery. However, appearance-health imagery acted as a suppressor variable to enhance the magnitude of relationship with revitalization and tranquility. Moreover, technique imagery partially mediated the relationship with positive engagement. Finally, moderated hierarchical multiple regressions followed by simple slope analysis indicated that the positive relationship between exercise feelings imagery and revitalization was only significant for participants who exercised less. This study provides empirical evidence that the relationship between imagery and feeling states is moderated by exercise behavior and suggests that imagery interventions for enhancing the positive exercise-induced feeling states might yield the most pronounced benefits for less active individuals.

The Role of Intentionality in Simulated Motor Actions

Carl P. Gabbard — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:16:00 PDT

Motor imagery is a key tool in contemporary research with basic and practical applications. In addition to its use in studying the cognitive aspects of movement planning, imagery has applications in therapeutic and sport settings. While debate continues regarding specific brain structure involvement, there is a rather convincing body of evidence indicating that processes involved in simulating a motor action via motor imagery are similar or the same to those used for planning and executing an action. In this brief theoretical paper, we address the question in the specific context of intentionality. The primary issue being - what is the role and function of intention in simulated motor actions? Is it similar or the same as the intent used in processing overt actions? We approach the issue from opposing views and provide current experimental data in support. Underscoring our thoughts is the notion that there are varying levels of intentional state; a condition that influences movement awareness and subsequent outcome.

An Examination of Ice Hockey Players' Imagery Use and Movement Imagery Ability

Trista A. D. Hallman — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:44:23 PDT

Imagery is an effective performance enhancing technique for athletes (Driskell, Copper, & Moran, 1994), and therefore has been the topic of extensive investigation in the sport psychology domain. To date, the few studies that have examined imagery across position of play have neglected to examine goaltenders as a distinct position from defense. As such, comparisons can only be made between forwards and defense. The purpose of the present study was to examine influence of playing position on imagery use and movement imagery ability in elite male ice hockey players. Participants included 258 competitive male ice hockey players (n = 122 forwards, n = 68 defense, n = 68 goaltenders), between the ages of 16 and 29 years (19.12 �1.96). Two separate MANOVAs revealed significant overall effects for both imagery frequency and imagery ability across playing position. Univariate follow-up ANOVAs found that goaltenders use significantly more MG-M and CS imagery than forwards and defense. Furthermore, it was found that goaltenders indicated clearer and more vivid images from an internal and external perspective than forwards. Findings from the present study provide sport psychologists with research that can guide the development of more individually tailored imagery interventions for ice hockey athletes.

The Effects of a Video-Aided Imagery Intervention upon Collective Efficacy in an International Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball Team

David Shearer — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:38:22 PDT

A multiple baseline across groups design was used to examine the effects of an imagery intervention on perceptions of collective efficacy. Members (n = 10) from an international wheelchair basketball team were separated into three regional intervention groups. Each group completed a 4 week, video-aided, motivational general-mastery (MG-M) type imagery program with team content. Collective efficacy was measured via the Collective Efficacy Inventory (Callow, Hardy, Markland, & Shearer, 2004). Collective efficacy increased for the South group and became more consistent for the Midlands group. No changes were reported for the North group. Social validation measures indicated potential mechanisms via imagery effects on individual perceptions of self-efficacy and then collective efficacy. The results provide partial support for the use of MG-M type imagery interventions to enhance both individual and team perceptions of collective efficacy in elite wheelchair basketball.

The Use of Exercise-Related Mental Imagery by Middle-Aged Adults

Bang Hyun Kim — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:33:50 PST

Exercise imagery is an emerging topic in health and exercise psychology research. Previous studies have found that exercise imagery may have cognitive and motivational effects on exercise behaviors. However, the research in exercise imagery has focused primarily on college students and the use of qualitative methods. Therefore, this study expanded previous research by using qualitative methods with middle-aged adults. Specifically, 30 middle-aged adults from 35 to 65 (M=48.13, SD=8.33) that included 11 males and 19 females were interviewed to examine when, where, what (content), and why (function) they used imagery focused on their exercise behaviors. By using grounded theory procedures, results revealed seven higher order themes: exercise technique images, appearance images, health outcome images, plan/strategy images, stress level/emotion images, confidence enhancing images, and energy/drive images. These results were consistent with previous research and theoretical frameworks in imagery. Certain quotes were chosen from the interviews to highlight each higher order theme. Some additional findings were the importance of health imagery, the thoughts of past images of self and comparing to present, making plans/strategies to motivate oneself to exercise, and the relationship between the content and functions of exercise imagery. Overall, this study represented a descriptive basis for research in exercise imagery by using grounded theory analysis and the development of a conceptual framework.

Adopting Paivio's General Analytic Framework to Examine Imagery Use in Sport

Anthony P. Watt — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:47:07 PDT

This study examined the use of imagery according to Paivio's (1985) general analytic framework. The aims were to examine functional differences in imagery use according to the five subscales of the SIQ, to investigate differences in imagery use by competitive level, and to explore the influence on the use of imagery of skills involving a perceptual target (reactive tasks) and without a perceptual target (nonreactive tasks). Participants included 484 individuals (280 male, 204 female), with a mean age of 20.39 (SD = 4.10) from the United Kingdom, Finland, and Australia. The group comprised 84 national, 210 state, 120 district, and 70 recreational level athletes representing 54 sports. Participants completed a demographic information sheet and the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ). Participants were classified according to competitive level and task type. Results indicated that overall participants used more motivational general-mastery imagery. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance revealed that there were significant differences among the four competitive levels on imagery use with the district level participants reporting significantly higher use of motivational general-arousal (MG-A) imagery than state and national level participants and national level participants reporting higher use of cognitive specific (CS) imagery than recreational level participants. There was also a significant difference between tasks with a perceptual target and tasks with no target for motivational-specific imagery, with higher scores for tasks with a perceptual target. The results suggest the continued evaluation of imagery use in relation to competitive level and support that task type may influence the functional use of imagery in sport.