Mental rehearsal and skill acquisition in sports

199 Pages·2017·10.91 MB·English

by  Jim Sheedy

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University of Wollongong Thesis Collection
University of Wollongong Thesis Collections
1954-2016
1986
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Jim Sheedy
University of Wollongong
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Sheedy, Jim, Mental rehearsal and skill acquisition in sports, Master of Arts (Hons.) thesis, Faculty of
Education, University of Wollongong, 1986. https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/2251
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MENTAL REHEARSAL AND SKILL ACQUISITION IN SPORTS
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements
for the award of the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS (HONOURS)
from
The University of Wollongong
by
Jim Sheedy BA (Hons)
UNIVERSITY OF
WOLLONGONG
LIBRARY
Faculty of Education
1986
898743
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to give special recognition to my supervisors
Professor R.C. King, Dr J. Gross and Dr P. Milburn without whose
help this thesis would not have been possible.
Other members of the University staff whose contribution
merit mention are: Mr T.A. Jones, Mr H.G. Fuller, Mrs A.C.
Porter, Dr P. de Lacey, Dr D.L. Mixon, Barry Quinn, Peter Caputi
and Dr B. Mason (now at the A.I.S.)»
I would like to thank the 32 people who participated in the
fieldwork project, along with their respective Bowls Clubs:
Dapto, Orb, Wiseman Park, Wollongong and Wollongong R.S.L. The
assistance of the students who took part in the laboratory
experimentation was also much appreciated.
Finally I wish to acknowledge all the contributing athletes
and coaches who have provided invaluable insight into the
practical applications of mental rehearsal.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER TWO : REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND RELATED LITERATURE 8
2.1 Mechanisms of mental rehearsal 9
2.1.1 Neurophys iological 9
2.1.2 Symbolic 10
2.1.3 Other theoretical possibilities 10
2.2 Mental rehearsal in Australian sport 13
2.3 Relaxation as a factor in mental rehearsal 15
2.4 The place of anecdotal reporting in
mental rehearsal 18
2.4.1 Case 1 19
2.4.2 Case 2 19
2.4.3 Case 3 20
2.4.4 Case 4 21
2.4.5 Case 5 22
2.4.6 Summary 22
2.5 Skill acquisition 23
2.5.1 Introduction 23
2.5.2 A paradigm of skill acquisition 23
2.5.3 The model 25
2.5.4 Feedback and reinforcement 27
2.5.5 Practice distribution 29
2.5.6 Speed and accuracy 30
2.5.7 Mental rehearsal and practice 30
2.5.8 Stress 35
2.5.9 The individual 37
2.6 Selected variables of specific relevance
to mental rehearsal 38
2.6.1 Practical implications of mental
rehearsal in sport 39
2.6.2 Body image 40
2.6.3 Vision 42
2.6.4 Ritualistic behaviour 43
2.6.5 Physiological aspects 44
2.6.6 The brain 45
2.6.7 Socio-cultural effects 46
2.6.8 Relaxation 46
2.6.9 Learning and skill 47
2.6.10 Biofeedback 48
2.6.11 Sport 49
2.6.12 Other suspected variables 49
2.7 Preliminary field study: Lawn Bowls 50
2.7.1 Method 52
2.7.2 Apparatus 53
2.7.3 Procedure 53
2.7.4 Results 55
2.7.5 Discussion 59
2.8 Methodological considerations and selection 63
2.8.1 Generalizability 64
2.8.2 Pursuit rotor research 65
2.9 Literature review specific to the relationship
between mental rehearsal and skill acquisition 68
2.9.1 An overview of the research 68
2.9.2 Some methodological considerations 71
2.9.3 Mental rehearsal and IQ 72
2.9.4 Stage of skill acquisition 74
2.9.5 Bizarre imagery 75
2.9.6 Memory and learning 76
2.9.7 Combining mental rehearsal and overt
practice 80
2.9.8 Evidence from particular applications
of mental rehearsal 82
2.9.9 Bilateral transfer 82
2.9.10 Balance 83
2.9.11 Pursuit rotor tasks 84
2.9.12 Ring tossing tasks 85
2.9.13 Golf putting 87
2.9.14 Gymnastics 88
2.9.15 Basketball 89
2.9.16 Swimming 91
2.9.17 Mental rehearsal prior to overt practice 93
2.9.18 Summary 99
2.9.19 Hypothesis 100
CHAPTER THREE : METHOD 101
3.1 Subjects 102
3.2 Apparatus 103
3.3 Procedure 106
3.3.1 Demonstration 106
3.3.2 Experimental group instructions 108
3.3.3 Control group instructions 111
3.3.4 Pursuit rotor trials 111
CHAPTER FOUR : RESULTS 114
4.1 Retest results 117
4.2 Results of the mental rehearsal group
questionnaire 119
4.3 Summation of results 121
CHAPTER FIVE : DISCUSSION 122
5.1 Considerations for interpreting results 123
5.2 The subjects 125
5.3 Experimental results 128
5.4 Methodological considerations 137
5.5 Conclusion 141
REFERENCES
APPENDIX "A" Instruction sheet, control group - Lawn Bowls
"B" Instruction sheet, mental rehearsal and physical
practice group - Lawn Bowls
"C" Instruction sheet, physical practice group -
Lawn Bowls
"D" Instruction sheet, mental rehearsal group - Lawn
Bowls
"E" Post experiment evaluation sheet
"F" Recording sheet
"G" Mental rehearsal group questionnaire for pursuit
rotor task
"H" Extract from "The hitch hiker*s guide to the
galaxy"
"I" Experimental group raw scores (seconds on target):
Test 1
"J" Experimental group raw scores (seconds on target):
Retest trials
'K" Control group raw scores (seconds on target): Test
1
'L" Control group raw scores (seconds on target):
Retest Trials