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The functional equivalence between movement imagery, observation, and execution influences imagery ability
Sarah E Williams1, Jennifer Cumming, Martin G Edwards
1School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. sew416@bham.ac.uk
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
|October 1, 2011
Summary
Movement and observation primes enhance ease of mental imagery. However, observation
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Psychology
Background:
- Movement imagery, observation, and execution activate similar neural pathways.
- Prior research shows movement imagery and observation prime movement execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if movement and observation prime ease of mental imagery.
- To explore priming effects across external visual, internal visual, and kinesthetic perspectives.
Main Methods:
- 36 participants completed an adapted Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised.
- Four conditions were used: movement prime, external observation prime, internal observation prime, and image-only.
Main Results:
- Ease of mental imagery was significantly higher in movement and observation prime conditions versus image-only.
- Observation facilitated imagery ease only when the visual perspective matched the imagery perspective.
Conclusions:
- Movement and observation effectively facilitate ease of mental imagery.
- The visual perspective is crucial when using observation to prime mental imagery.
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