Five types of imagery used by 188 Nigerian athletes in track and field, soccer, and table tennis were examined using the Sport Imagery Questionnaire [M age for men 24.7 yr. (SD = 3.6) and for women 23.3 yr. (SD = 3.4)] to assess whether these participants differed in their use of imagery. Significant differences were noted for the three sports on subscales of Cognitive General, Motivational Specific, Motivation General-Mastery, and Motivation General-Arousal, while moderate to strong positive correlations were identified among scores on imagery subscales, especially Motivation General-Mastery and Motivation General-Arousal. Cronbach α for the questionnaire was suitable for all subscales but one.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbmaC. L.FryM. D.LiY., & RelyeaG. (2002) Differences in imagery context and imagery ability between high low confident track and field athletes. Journal of Applied Sports Psychology, 14, Gl–15.
2.
BarrK., & HallC. R. (1992) The use of imagery by power. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 23, 243–261.
3.
BoydJ., & MunroeK. J. (2003) The use of imagery in climbing. Athletic Insight, 5, 1–14.
4.
DenisM. (1985) Visual imagery and the use of mental practice in the development of motor skills. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, 10, 4s–16s.
5.
DriskellJ. E.CooperC., & MoranA. (1994) Does mental practice enhance performance?Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 481–491.
6.
FeltzD. L., & LandersD. M. (1983) The effects of mental practice on motor skill learning and performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport Psychology, 5, 25–51.
7.
FeltzD. L., & RiessingerC. A. (1990) Effects of in vivo imagery and performance feedback on self-efficacy and muscular endurance. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 12, 132–143.
8.
HallC. R. (2001) Imagery in sport and exercise. In SingerR. N.HausenblasH. A., & JanelleC. M. (Eds.), Handbook of sport psychology.New York: Wiley. Pp. 529–549.
9.
HallC. R.MackD.PaivioA., & HausenblasH. A. (1998) Imagery use by athletes: Development of sport imagery questionnaire. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 29, 73–89.
10.
IlleA., & CadopiM. (1999) Memory for movement sequences in gymnastics: Effects of age and skill level. Journal of Motor Behavior, 31, 290–300.
11.
KossertA. L., & Munroe-ChandlerK. (2007) Exercise imagery: A systematic review of the empirical literature. Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity, 2, 1–32.
12.
LeeC. (1990) Psyching up for a muscular endurance task: Effects of image content on performance and mood state. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 12, 66–73.
13.
LejeuneM., & DeckerC. (1994) Mental rehearsal in table tennis performance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 79, 627–641.
14.
GinisMartin K. A.MoritzS. E., & HallC. R. (1999) Imagery use in sport: A literature review and applied model. The Sport Psychologist, 13, 245–268.
15.
MoritzS. E.HallC. R.MartinK. A., & VadoczE. (1996) What are confident athletes imaging? An examination of image content. The Sport Psychologist, 10, 171–189.
16.
MunroeK. J.GiacobbiP. R.HallC., & WeinbergR. S. (2000) The four Ws of imagery use: Where, when, why and what. The Sport Psychologist, 14, 119–137.
17.
MunroeK. J.HallC. R.SimmsS., & WeinbergR. S. (1998) Athletes' use of imagery early and late in their season. The Sport Psychologist, 12, 440–449.
18.
MurphyS. M. (1990) Models of imagery in sport psychology: A review. Journal of Mental Imagery, 14, 153–172.
19.
MurphyS. M.WoolfolkR. L., & BudneyA. J. (1998) Effects of emotive imagery on strength performance. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 10, 334–345.
20.
NunnallyJ. C. (1998) Psychometric theory. (2nd ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill.
21.
OrliaguetJ. P., & CoelloM. (1998) Differences between actual and imagined putting movements in golf: A chronometric analysis. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 29, 157–169.
22.
OrlickT. (1990) In pursuit of excellence. (2nd ed.) Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
23.
PaivioA. (1985) Cognitive and motivational functions of imagery in human performance. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Science, 10, 22–28.
24.
RodgersW.HallC., & BuckolzE. (1991) The effect of an imagery training program on imagery ability, imagery use, and figure skating performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 3, 109–125.
25.
SalmonG.HallC. R., & HaslamI. (1994) The use of imagery by soccer players. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 6, 116–133.
26.
ShearerD. A.ThompsonR.MellalieuS. D., & ShearerC. R. (2007) The relationship between imagery type and collective efficacy in elite and non elite athletes. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 6, 180–187.
27.
ShortS. E.MonsmaE. A., & ShortM. W. (2004) Is what you see really what you get? Athletes' perception of imagery's functions. The Sport Psychologist, 18, 341–349.
28.
ShortS. E.Ross-StewartL., & MonsmaE. V. (2006) Onwards with the evolution of imagery research in sport psychology. Athletic Insight, 8, 1–14.
29.
ShortS. E., & ShortM. W. (2005) Differences between high and high and low confident football players on imagery functions: A consideration of athletes' perceptions. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 17, 197–208.
30.
SuinnR. M. (1996) Imagery rehearsal: A tool for clinical practice. Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 15, 27–31.
31.
VadoczE. A.HallC. R., & MoritzS. E. (1997) The relationship between cognitive anxiety and imagery use. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 9, 241–253.
32.
WhiteA., & HardyL. (1998) An in-depth analysis of the uses of imagery by high-level slalom canoeists and artistic gymnasts. The Sport Psychologist, 12, 387–403.
33.
WrisbergC., & AnshelM. (1989) The effect of cognitive strategies on the free throw shooting performance of young athletes. The Sport Psychologist, 3, 95–104.
