ABSTRACT

Imagery interventions are an established psychological tool to enhance performance, psychological skills, and injury rehabilitation. Previous meta-analyses found positive effects of mental practice on performance, leaving it open whether imagery can also enhance outcomes other than performance such as motivational or affective outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis to extend the current understanding of the effectiveness of imagery in sports on any sport specific outcome and the relevance of additional variables potentially moderating the effect. The overall effect of imagery interventions was medium in magnitude with d = 0.431 (95% CI [0.298, 0.563]). Imagery interventions significantly enhanced motor performance, motivational outcomes, and affective outcomes. Summarized across all outcomes, imagery combined with physical practice was more effective than physical practice alone, indicating differential effects of imagery and physical practice. We found the same pattern of result for performance outcomes. The effectiveness of imagery was positively associated with the intensity of the imagery training. We discuss our results against previous meta-analyses on mental practice and the background of theoretical and practical aspects of imagery. Moreover, we lay out directions for future research by providing a comprehensive overview of research gaps in the literature on imagery.

摘要

意象干预是一种既定的心理工具，可以提高表现、心理技能和损伤康复。先前的荟萃分析发现心理练习对绩效有积极影响，但图像是否也可以增强绩效以外的结果（例如动机或情感结果）尚待探讨。我们进行了一项荟萃分析，以扩展当前对体育图像对任何运动特定结果的有效性的理解，以及可能调节效果的其他变量的相关性。图像干预的总体效果中等，d = 0.431（95% CI [0.298, 0.563]）。意象干预显着提高了运动表现、动机结果和情感结果。总结所有结果，图像结合身体练习比单独的身体练习更有效，表明图像和身体练习的不同效果。我们发现绩效结果的结果模式相同。意象的有效性与意象训练的强度呈正相关。我们根据先前关于心理实践的元分析以及图像的理论和实践方面的背景来讨论我们的结果。此外，我们通过全面概述图像文献中的研究差距，为未来的研究指明了方向。