Full metadata
Title
A comparison of the effects of imagery and action observation on baseball batting performance
Description
This study investigated the effect of two different preparation methods on hitting performance in a high&ndashfidelity; baseball batting simulation. Novice and expert players participated in one of three conditions: observation (viewing a video of the goal action), visualization (hearing a script of the goal action), or a no&ndashpreparation; control group. Each participant completed three different hitting tasks: pull hit, opposite&ndashfield; hit, and sacrifice fly. Experts had more successful hits, overall, than novices. The number of successful hits was significantly higher for both the observation and visualization conditions than for the control. In most cases, performance was best in the observation condition. Experts demonstrated greater effects from the mental preparation techniques compared to novices. However, these effects were mediated by task difficulty. The difference between experts and novices, as well as the difference between the observation and visualization conditions was greater for the more difficult hitting task (opposite&ndashfield; hitting) than for the easier hitting task (sacrifice fly). These effects of mental preparation were associated with significant changes in batting kinematics (e.g., changes in point of bat/ball contact and swing direction). The results indicate that mental preparation can improve directional hitting ability in baseball with the optimal preparation methods depending on skill&ndashlevel; and task difficulty.
Date Created
2010
Contributors
- Neuman, Brooke Leigh Anne (Author)
- Gray, Rob (Thesis advisor)
- Branaghan, Russell (Committee member)
- Becker, Vaughn (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Topical Subject
Resource Type
Extent
v, 63 p. : ill
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Peer-reviewed
No
Open Access
No
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.8735
Statement of Responsibility
by Brooke Leigh Anne Neuman
Description Source
Viewed on June 18, 2012
Level of coding
full
Note
thesis
Partial requirement for: M.S., Arizona State University, 2010
bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (p. 56-58)
Field of study: Applied psychology
System Created
- 2011-08-12 02:54:42
System Modified
- 2021-08-30 01:56:23
- 3 years 2 months ago
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