People participate in sports for performance (elite sports) or health purposes. While the aim in performance sports is to reach the highest level and achieve better, in health sports, it is to attain a healthier physical and emotional structure (Karagöz, 2005). Performance athletes are under more intense pressure and are inevitably affected by the competitive environment. Sports performance at any level can include a high degree of fluctuation in emotions, both positive and negative (Baltaş and Baltaş, 1997). Today, many elite athletes strive to elevate their performance levels to the highest point by receiving psychological support. Athletes must possess basic psychological skills to cope with competition stress and anxiety (Basut, 2006).
Athlete development is a holistic process. In this process, mental and physical development must be balanced. These two development areas of the athlete develop together and influence each other (Altıntaş and Akalan, 2008). The psychological state of an athlete affects their performance. In this context, athletes and coaches need to give as much importance to psychological work as to physical work. Imagery studies are considered one of the most important psychological approaches to improving athletes’ performance (Weinberg and Gould, 2003).
The Role of Imagery in Sports Psychology
One of the most significant application areas of sports psychology is imagery. As a technique used to enhance athletes’ performance, imagery is a psychological method frequently preferred by coaches and other individuals in training, competition, and non-training environments. Imagery is a concept used to express imaginary or real situations that we visualize or experience emotionally in our minds, representing a mental process. The basis of imagery is the creation of mental images and the realization of these images through a mental design process. Imagery is generally used to build self-confidence, increase concentration, keep emotional reactions under control, understand and develop sports skills/strategies, cope with pain and injury, and address problems caused by these (Taylor and Wilson, 2005; Bayköse, 2014).
Imagery and Its Connection to Sports
When examining the relationship between imagery and sports, sports can be defined as a set of benefits, including improving the human body and mental health, personality formation, gaining knowledge, skills, and talents, developing character traits, increasing physical activity, ensuring harmony in the environment, and promoting peace in society by fostering socio-cultural and economic development, alongside physical activities performed for competition, excitement, and the desire to win according to certain rules. It is easier for people to visualize a movement in their minds fluently and correctly without separating it and without fear than to apply it in practice. Thinking that the movement to be learned is error-free and performing it mentally advances the stage of the movement when put into practice. Additionally, imagery contributes to the athlete’s concentration during performance by ensuring focus on the movement. Imagery can be easily applied by everyone in the sports environment, independently, regardless of the stage. The more complex the techniques and tactics for the skill to be applied by the athlete, the more critical imagery studies become (Tiryaki, 2000; Karagözoğlu, 2005; Weinberger and Gould, 2015).
Benefits of Imagery in Sports Psychology
Athletes can benefit from imagery in various ways at different times. Imagery contributes to increasing performance and learning new skills, as well as developing learned skills by constantly repeating them in the mind. It helps athletes focus on movements and performance by increasing their attention, and recognizing mistakes makes it easier to correct them. Athletes can identify and correct the wrong aspects of a skill and understand where they are going wrong with external images. It is known that mental imagery positively and effectively impacts athletes’ emotional states. Athletes often experience emotions such as fear, pressure, and anger that come with real competition. Therefore, imagery offers athletes a preliminary preparation opportunity to keep their emotional states under control during competition.
References
- Fazlıoğlu, Ö., & Karadenizli, Z. (2024). 2013-2023 Yılları Arası Sporda İmgeleme Kullanımı Alanında Yapılan Çalışmaların İncelenmesi. Düzce University Journal of Sports Science / Düzce Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 4(1), 67-79. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Düzce University.
- Yamak, B. (2019). Kadın Hentbolcularda İmgeleme Düzeylerinin Karşılaştırılması. Spor Eğitim Dergisi, 3(3), 55-62.