Imagery

Imagery is a cognitive process that uses the senses to create or recreate an event (Vealey & Forlenza, 2015). When you read a book or listen to a story, you might imagine the setting and the story playing out; that is imagery! When we use imagery intentionally, our bodies respond. So, as we imagine doing a movement, the neurons begin to fire as they would if we were actually performing that move or experience (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). Imagery cannot replace physical preparation. I can imagine all day that I beat Michael Phelps in a swim race, but unless I have the physical skills, it won’t happen. (So, that “if you can dream it, you can do it” quote isn’t accurate!) We can use imagery for (Vealey & Forlenza, 2015):

  • Learning skills
  • Correcting mistakes
  • Practicing tactics/strategies
  • Focusing before a performance
  • Increasing confidence
  • Managing our energy or stress response
  • Increasing self-awareness
  • Recovery

Imagery experiences can have one of two perspectives (Murphy, 2005):

  • Internal- See the situation through your own eyes. Example: imagine seeing the finish line as you cross it.
  • External- See the situation as an observer. Example: Imagine the video of you crossing the finish line that will play on the news and social media.

Three important characteristics of good imagery training are (Murphy, 2005):

  • Vividness- The more realistic the better. Imagine the smells and sounds as you cross the finish line.
  • Controllability- As you recreate the experience, you should be able to control what happens. If you can only imagine bad things happening, imagery may not be helpful for you!
  • Emotions- Adding in the emotional elements helps make it real and motivational. Imagine how you will feel as you cross the finish line.

There are several types of imagery (Weinberg & Gould, 2015):

Motivational
Cognitive
Specific
Goal orientation Example: imagine walking across stage at your graduation
Skills Example: Thinking through a successful performance
General
Arousal Example: Relaxing before a test or psyching yourself up for a presentation
Strategy Example: Considering various scenarios and how you will handle them

Watch this video about how Michael Phelps used imagery to improve his performances. Pay attention to 1) the perspective he uses 2) how vivid his imagery experiences are and 3) how much he can control the experiences.

How can it decrease performance?

If a person cannot control the imagery experience, it could decrease performance (Murphy, 2005). This person might visualize things going wrong in the performance. If they cannot correct their imagery experience, then they may become anxious about controlling their actual performance. This has happened to athletes in my classes twice. We were studying the imagery chapter and the athletes could not control our practice imagery experiences. One happened to be in season at the time and saw an actual decrease in performance!

How can it improve performance?

Imagery can be used to mentally rehearse performances, control thoughts and arousal, improve confidence, learn new skills, correct mistakes, or increase self-awareness (Vealey & Forlenza, 2015). It can be used to revisit past peak performances or to review any past performance (Karageorghis & Terry, 2011). See chart above.

Strategies to Pivot

  1. Start with specific motivational imagery (see chart). The more vivid you can make the imagery experience, the more the imagery will help. However, starting generally can show you how well it works for you. A great beginning experience is just to recreate a positive, past experience. It could be a vacation, a favorite memory, or a past performance.
  2. As you feel more comfortable, use imagery for more specific strategies like Michael Phelps did in the video.
  3. Begin to include all your senses in the experience.
  4. When you feel experienced enough, you can use it to practice scenarios (like in the video), practice the same performance occuring in different places/positions.
  5. Vary your speed (slow motion vs. fast motion vs. real-time)

The key to imagery helping improve your performance is:

  • Know why you are using it. Motivation? Strategy? Confidence?
  • Use it regularly.
  • Be systematic in your use.

Training Questions

Using your mental performance log, answer these questions. Remember that the more thought and effort you put into them, the more you'll get from the experience.

1. Can you think of a time when imagery could have improved your performance?

2. Of the uses listed in the lab, which do you think you might be most beneficial to you.

3. Explain how you can add imagery to your “training.”