A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF VISUALIZING SUCCESS: THE INFLUENCE OF MENTAL IMAGERY ON PERFORMANCE AND NEURAL EFFICIENCY IN A TARGETED MOTOR TASK IN SPORT

Abstract

Existing literature has laid the theoretical groundwork positing that mental imagery of a motor task is beneficial to performance. Other variables held constant, individuals tend to engage in more optimal motor performance after using mental imagery, especially that which follows the Physical, Environment, Task, Timing, Learning, Emotion, Perspective (PETTLEP) model, mimicking real experience with the involvement of all sensory modalities. Psychological data suggest that imagery’s effect on performance may be mediated by internal emotions and cognitions, such as confidence and anxiety. Physiological data suggest that imagery primes and activates muscles similar to actual execution of a motor event. Neurological data suggest that imagery acts as mental practice and activates similar regions in the brain as executing an actual motor event, and like the muscles, primes the brain by strengthening neural pathways for efficient movement. Although previous efforts have examined cerebral cortical dynamics during mental imagery, the resulting adaptations in psychomotor efficiency made in the brain are not well defined. Therefore, the present investigation compared the effects of neurological (i.e., neural correlates of activation) and psychological constructs (i.e., confidence and anxiety) as mediators of the imagery-performance relationship as well as their interactions, exploring how the brain is affected after imagery use. As such, the present multi-level research aimed to explore the effectiveness of mental imagery from a psychophysiological lens. The present study examined the extent to which a single guided, programmatic mental imagery intervention and application of a practiced imagery script influenced the neural correlates of activation and performance of free throw shooters. Using a pretest-posttest mixed-model design, participants (N = 26) were randomly assigned to either a mental imagery (MI) or control (CON) group. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to assess neural activation, including temporal alpha power, fronto-midline theta power, central mu rhythm, and alpha coherence, while self-reported confidence and anxiety were examined as potential psychological mediators. Subjective cognitive workload and conscious motor processing were also examined. A series of repeated measures ANOVAs and Hayes’ PROCESS analyses were conducted to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of mental imagery on performance through neural and psychological pathways. Results indicated that mental imagery did not significantly enhance free throw performance compared to the control condition. While confidence significantly increased following imagery, this did not translate into improved performance, nor did anxiety demonstrate a meaningful mediating role. Similarly, EEG measures of neural efficiency did not show significant changes attributable to imagery. Neural activation patterns such as increased left temporal alpha and decreased coherence did, however, support expectations of engagement during a motor task. Although the overall moderated-mediation models were not significant, a more specific examination of the elements of the model revealed that confidence moderated the relationship between mental imagery and change in performance, such that imagery was associated with more stable performance only when confidence was high. However, anxiety did not significantly moderate the effects of mental imagery on neural efficiency. These findings suggest that while mental imagery can enhance confidence, its effectiveness in improving motor performance is highly dependent on individual psychological states. The absence of significant neural adaptations further calls into question the role of psychophysiological mechanisms in short-term imagery interventions. Future research should explore individual differences in response to imagery and examine the long-term effects of repeated imagery training on motor performance and neural efficiency.