The effects of imagery types on sports performance

Despite more recent evidences (e.g. Munroe-Chandler et al. 2012; Nordin & Cumming 2008) suggesting that cognitive imagination was more beneficial for soccer performance than motivational one, the influence of all imagination types (motivational-general, cognitive general, motivational-specific, cognitive-general) was not investigated on a golf performance in a lab setting. In this research the effect of function of imagination (cognitive, motivational) and the goal of it (general and specific) on the golf performance of individuals was investigated for the first time with a control group. A total of 152 university students from various departments voluntarily participated in this experimental research. For all four treatment conditions (motivational-general, cognitive-general, motivational-specific, cognitive-general) relevant scenarios were constructed. All participants were tested on a platform for a golf play in a lab setting. In the training sessions that done before test strikes, they were allowed to hit a golf ball with a golf putter for five times. On the onset of manipulations they imagined the relevant scenario and finally were led to hit it to a hole for five times. Performance was calculated by measuring distance from a golf ball to a golf hole. When they hit a golf hole, their score was considered as zero (0). The less distance from a ball to a hole, the higher the performance is. Data were analyzed by a means of 2x2x2 ANOVA with the last factor as repeated measure(average performance before imagination and after imagination). Also, one way ANOVAs were conducted with a control condition. Findings showed that average performance of individuals after imagination (M = 35.04) was higher than those before it (M = 51.65). Besides that, the difference between individuals before imagination and those after imagination for cognitive imagination in golf performance was greater (M = 21.55) than those for motivational imagination (M = 11.76). Also, the performance of participants in the cognitive-specific and cognitive-general was better than those in the control condition. Finally, interaction effect between variables in this research demonstrated that the participants in cognitive-general imagery had the best performance boost when compared to the other treatment conditions. These findings were discussed in lights of the relevant literature. Key words: Imagery, Imagery Types, Sports Performance, Golf, Performance, Psychology of Performance.