Examining the relationship between imagery use and mental toughness

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Electronic Theses and Dissertations
2009
Examining the relationship between imagery use
and mental toughness
Paige Mattie
University of Windsor
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Examining the Relationship between Imagery Use and Mental Toughness

By

Paige Mattie

A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
through the Faculty of Human Kinetics
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Degree of Master of Human Kinetics at the
University of Windsor
Windsor, Ontario, Canada

2009

© 2009 Paige Mattie
EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IMAGERY USE AND MENTAL
TOUGHNESS
By
Paige Mattie

APPROVED BY:

_________________________________________________
K. Lafreniere
Department of Psychology

_________________________________________________
T. Loughead
Department of Kinesiology

_________________________________________________
K. Chandler, Advisor
Department of Kinesiology

_________________________________________________
J. Drake, Chair of Defense
Department of Kinesiology
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

I hereby certify that I am the sole author of this thesis and that no part of this
thesis has been published or submitted for publication.
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, my thesis does not infringe upon
anyone’s copyright nor violate any proprietary rights and that any ideas, techniques,
quotations, or any other material from the work of other people included in my thesis,
published or otherwise, are fully acknowledged in accordance with the standard
referencing practices. Furthermore, to the extent that I have included copyrighted
material that surpasses the bounds of fair dealing within the meaning of the Canada
Copyright Act, I certify that I have obtained a written permission from the copyright
owner(s) to include such material(s) in my thesis and have included copies of such
copyright clearances to my appendix.
I declare that this is a true copy of my thesis, including any final revisions, as
approved by my thesis committee and the Graduate Studies office, and that this thesis has
not been submitted for a higher degree to any other University or Institution.

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ABSTRACT
The motivational functions of imagery include images of feeling confident, in control,
and mentally tough (Hall et al., 1998). Despite the important contribution of mental
toughness to athletic performance (Jones et al., 2007), little quantitative research has been
devoted to examining this construct, or to developing strategies to enhance or maintain
mental toughness. The present study investigated the relationship between imagery use
and mental toughness. Participants included 151 varsity athletes (M = 20.70 ± 1.84).
age
Imagery use was assessed using the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (Hall et al., 1998) and
mental toughness with the Mental Toughness 48 Inventory (Clough et al., 2002).
Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the motivational functions of
imagery significantly predicted mental toughness, while the cognitive functions
contributed minimally to the variance in mental toughness. Findings from the present
study suggest that imagery use may be an effective strategy for developing or enhancing
mental toughness in athletes.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would first like to express my sincere appreciation for my thesis advisor, Dr.
Krista Chandler, whose unwavering dedication and support throughout this degree has
allowed me to develop as a student and researcher. Krista, I am certain that under the
guidance of any other advisor, I would not have been met with the same enthusiasm, been
provided the same quality of supervision, or been awarded the incredible opportunities
which you have provided me. I will continue to admire you as a teacher, researcher,
consultant, and person.
I would next like to acknowledge my committee members, Dr. Kathryn
Lafreniere and Dr. Todd Loughead, for their important and insightful contributions to this
thesis. Todd, I genuinely thank you for your helpful guidance and continuous support
throughout my time here. I have learned a great deal from you, and your kindness will not
be forgotten.
I would like to thank the faculty and staff within the Department of Kinesiology
for their endless support and assistance, extending a particular gratitude to Diane Dupuis,
Cathy Greenwell, and Pat McTaggart. Your warm hearts and friendly smiles have helped
me feel at home in Windsor.
I would also like to thank Dr. Colin Guthrie, my first sport psychology consultant,
for helping me develop into a “mentally tough” athlete, and for encouraging my pursuit
into the field of sport psychology. Colin, thanks for your continuous enthusiasm,
insightful advice, and for always finding the time in your schedule to accommodate my
calls and emails.
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My experiences at the University of Windsor would have been the same without
the many wonderful graduate students I have come to know and respect. It has been a
pleasure getting to know each of you, and I hope that our future careers in sport and
exercise will allow us opportunities to collaborate and catch up.
Finally, I gratefully acknowledge the continuous support and encouragement from
my family. Mom and Dad, your unshakable belief in my ability to succeed inspires me to
persist and stay motivated when endeavors appear manageable, and to remain calm and
focused when they seem impossible.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY ……………………………………iii
ABSTRACT ……………………………………………..………………………….….iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………………….v
LIST OF TABLES ………...………………………………………..………………. .x
LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………………....................................xi
LIST OF APPENDIXES …………………………………………..…………...…..xii
RESEARCH ARTICLE ……………………………………………….…...………..1
Introduction ……………………………………………………..……..………..1
Methodology ……………………………………………………………………..8
Participants ……………………………………………………....……..8
Measures ………………………………………………………....…..8
Demographic Data ………………………..………………..…..8
Imagery Frequency ……………………………………....……..9
Mental Toughness …………………………………..……..…..9
Procedure ………………………………………………..……..……10
Data Analysis ………………………………………..…………..………10
Results …………………………………………………..……………......11
Preliminary Analyses ……………………………………………………11
Primary Analyses …………………………………..……………..…13
Control ……………………………………..…………..…13
Commitment ……………………………………………………14
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Challenge …………………………………..……………..…14
Confidence ……………………….……………………...……14
Discussion ………………………………………………………..……..……15
References ……………………………………………………..…………..…23
Tables ……………………………………………………………..………..……29
REVIEW OF LITERATURE …………………………………………..……………..…34
Imagery ……………………………………………………..…………..…34
Imagery Theories ……………………………………..…………..…35
Psychoneuromuscular Theory …………………………..…..……35
Bio-informational Theory ………………………..……..……35
Triple-Code Theory ……………………………..…………..…36
Applied Theories of Imagery Use ………………………..………..…37
Analytic Framework for Imagery Use in Sport …..……..…37
Applied Model of Imagery Use …………..……………..…38
Sport Situation ………………………..………..…38
Functions of Imagery ………………………………....…39
Imagery Ability ………………………..………..…46
Outcomes Associated with Imagery Use …..…..……47
PETTLEP Model of Imagery ……………………………………48
Measurement ……………………………………………..…………..…50
Imagery Use ……………………………………………....……50
Sport Imagery Questionnaire ……………………....……50
Imagery Ability ………………………………..………..…50
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Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised ……....……50
Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 ....…51
Mental Toughness ……………………………………………………..…..…51
Measurement of Mental Toughness ……………………………..…..…60
Observation ……………………………………………..…..…60
Self Report …………………………………………..……..…61
Psychological Performance Inventory ……………61
Mental Toughness Inventory ……………..…………..…62
Mental Toughness 48 Inventory …………..……..…63
Applied Research on Mental Toughness ………………………....…64
Mental Toughness and Performance ………………………........64
Mental Toughness and Injury Rehabilitation ……………....……65
Mental Toughness and other Psychological Characteristics ……66
Personal Construct Psychology Model of Mental Toughness ……66
References ………………………………………………………………....…68
Figure Captions ………………………………………………..…….….…79
Figures ……………………………………………………..……….….…80
APPENDIXES …………………………………………………..……….…….…82
VITA AUCTORIS ……………………………………………………………....……91

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