Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mental Practice: Image and Mental Rehearsal of Motor Action

  • Chapter
Cognitive and Neuropsychological Approaches to Mental Imagery

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 42))

Abstract

An overview of theoretical accounts of mental practice effects leads to two questions. First, it is emphasized that the relevant differentiation between mental and motor components in motor skills should not become a radical separation. Two cognitive intervention modes in motor skill are distinguished: on the one hand, planning and organizing of the motor sequence, and on the other hand, motor programming and control. Secondly, when mental practice is characterized by its relationship to physical practice, the evocation and triggering of the motor program are considered to be the same in both cases. A possible source of feedback in mental practice can be found not so much in the specific kinaesthetic information linked to the imagined movement as in the spatiotemporal structure of that information.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Adams, J.A. (1971). A closed-loop theory of motor learning. Journal of Motor Behavior,3, 111–150.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Clark, L.V. (1960). Effect of mental practice on the development of a certain motor skill. Research Quarterly, 31, 560–569.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Denis, M., & Carfantan, M. (1985). People’s knowledge about images. Cognition, 20, 49–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Epstein, M.L. (1980). The relationship of mental imagery and mental rehearsal to performance of a motor task. Journal of Sport Psychology, 2, 211–220.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Feltz,D.L. Landers D.M. (1983). The effects of mental practice on motor skill learning and performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport Psychology, 5, 25–57.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Galperine, P. (1966). Essai sur la formation par étapes des actions et des concepts. In Recherches psychologiques en U.R.S.S. Moscou: Editions du Progres, 114–132.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hall, C., Pongrac, J.BuckolzE. (1985). The measurement of imagery ability. Human Movement Science,4, 107–118.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hauert, C.A., Mounoud, P., & Mayer, E. (1981). Approche du développement cognitif des enfants de 2 à 5 ans à travers l’etude des caractéristiques physiques de leurs actions. Cahiers de Psychologie Cognitive, 1, 33–54.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Jacobson, E. (1932). Electrophysiology of mental activities. American Journal of Psychology,44, 677–694.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Jones, J.G. (1965). Motor learning without demonstration of physical practice, under two conditions of mental practice. Research Quarterly,36, 270–276.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Keele S.W.(1981). Behavioral analysis of movement. In V.D. Brooks (Ed.), Handbook of physiology, Vol. 2, Motor control. Bethesda: American Physiology Society, 1391–1414.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kelso, J.A.S., & Wallace, S.A. (1978). Conscious mechanisms in movement. In G.E. Stelmach (Ed.), Information processing in motor control and learning (pp. 79–116). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kohl, R.M., & Roenker, D.L. (1980). Bilateral transfer as a function of mental imagery. Journal of Motor Behavior, 12, 197–206.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kohl, R.M., & Roenker, D.L. (1983). Mechanism involvement during skill imagery. Journal of Motor Behavior, 15, 179–190.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Mackay, D.G. (1981). The problem of rehearsal or mental practice. Journal of Motor Behavior,13, 274–285.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Mahoney, M.J., and Avener, M. (1977). Psychology of the elite athlete: An exploratory study. Cognitive Therapy and Research,1, 135–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Mendoza, D., & Wichman, H. (1978). “Inner” darts: Effects of mental practice on performance of dart throwing. Perceptual and Motor Skills,47, 1195–1199.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Minas, S.C. (1978). Mental practice of a complex perceptual-motor skill. Journal of Human Movement Studies,4, 102–107.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Phipps, S.J., & Morehouse, C.A. (1969). Effects of mental practice on the acquisition of motor skills of varied difficulty. Research Quarterly, 40, 773–778.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Pickhenhain L. (1984). Towards a holistic conception of movement control. In H.T.A. Whiting (Ed.), Human motor actions: Bernstein reassessed (pp. 505–528). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland).

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  21. Rawlings, E.I., Rawlings, I.L., Chen, S.S., & Yilk, M.D. (1972). The facilitating effects of mental rehearsal in the acquisition of rotary pursuit tracking. Psychonomic Science, 26, 71–73.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Richardson, A.(1967). Mental practice: A review and discussion. Part 2. Research Quarterly,38, 263–273.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ryan, E.D. Simons J. (1981). Cognitive demand, imagery, and frequency of mental rehearsal as factors influencing acquisition of motor skills. Journal of Sport Psychology,3, 33–45.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ryan, E.D., & Simons, J. (1983). What is learned in mental practice of motor skills: A test of the cognitive-motor hypothesis. Journal of Sport Psychology,5, 419–426.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sackett, R.S. (1934). The influence of symbolic rehearsal upon the retention of a maze habit. Journal of General Psychology,10, 376–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Schmidt, R.A. (1975). A schema theory of discrete motor skill learning. Psychological Review,82, 225–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Schmidt, R.A. (1982). Motor control and learning: A behavioral emphasis. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Singer, R.N. (1972). Readings in motor learning. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wehner, T., Vogt, S., & Stadler, M. (1984). Task specific EMG characteristics during mental training. Psychological Research,46, 389–401.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Weinberg, R.S. (1982). The relationship between mental preparation strategies and motor performance: A review and critique. Quest,33, 195–213.

    Google Scholar 

  31. White, K.D., Ashton, R., & Lewis, S. (1979). Learning a complex skill: Effects of mental practice, physical practice and imagery ability. International Journal of Sport Psychology,10, 71–78.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Wrisberg, C.A., & Ragsdale, M.R., (1979). Cognitive demand and practice level: Factors in the mental rehearsal of motor skills. Journal of Human Movement Studies,5, 201–208.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cognition Et Mouvement, UA CNRS 1166, Marseille, France

    Alain Savoyant

Authors
  1. Alain Savoyant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre d’Etudes de Psychologie Cognitive, Université de Paris-Sud, Orsay, France

    Michel Denis

  2. Fachrichtung Psychologie, Universität des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken, Germany

    Johannes Engelkamp

  3. Department of Human Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK

    John T. E. Richardson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1988 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Savoyant, A. (1988). Mental Practice: Image and Mental Rehearsal of Motor Action. In: Denis, M., Engelkamp, J., Richardson, J.T.E. (eds) Cognitive and Neuropsychological Approaches to Mental Imagery. NATO ASI Series, vol 42. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1391-2_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1391-2_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-247-3659-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1391-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation