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Motor and Visual Imagery in Sports

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Multisensory Imagery

Abstract

Mental practice routines play an important role in many different sports, not only for the acquisition of motor skills but also for preparation prior to competitive events and rehabilitation after sport injuries. Imagery techniques in sport are used for different purposes, as outlined by the Model of Imagery Use in Sports [Martin et al. (Sport Psychologist 13:245–268, 1999)], to improve skill acquisition, motivation, and sport confidence and to reduce anxiety. Individual differences in imagery abilities have to be considered to understand the possible effects of mental practice in the sports context. It has been revealed that a differentiation of expertise levels (experts and novices) and skills (closed and open) is important for the categorization of imagery effects in sport. Experts are more experienced in processing movement sensations compared with novices and can, therefore, generate kinesthetic imagery more easily. Open and closed skills differ in their predictability of the environment. Compared with closed skills, open skills specifically require the ability to imagine external events and changes to the environmental conditions. It has been shown that different forms and functions of imagery prove to be effective for the above-mentioned functions depending on the characteristics of different sports and the expertise level of athletes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuromotor Behavior Lab and Bender Institute for Neuroimaging, Institute for Sport Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394, Giessen, Germany

    Jörn Munzert Ph.D. & Britta Lorey Dipl. Psych., Ph.D.

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  1. Jörn Munzert Ph.D.
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  2. Britta Lorey Dipl. Psych., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Jörn Munzert Ph.D. .

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  1. , Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, WOODRUFF CIRCLE WMB 6207 101, ATLANTA, 30329, Georgia, USA

    Simon Lacey

  2. , School of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Eleanor Rathbone Building, Bedford Street South, Liverpool, L69 7ZA, Montserrat

    Rebecca Lawson

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Munzert, J., Lorey, B. (2013). Motor and Visual Imagery in Sports. In: Lacey, S., Lawson, R. (eds) Multisensory Imagery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5879-1_17

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