The relationship between the use and effectiveness of imagery: an exploratory investigation

The major purposes of the present investigation were (a) to enhance the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ) by adding an effectiveness component to the already existing frequency component; (b) to assess when, and under what conditions, imagery is being employed by athletes; and (c) to conduct an exploratory analysis of the impact of gender and type of sport on imagery use. Participants were 523 athletes from both individual and team sports at two NCAA Division I universities. They all completed the SIQ, Imagery Use Questionnaire (IUQ) and an open-ended questionnaire assessing their imagery use. Results revealed that both the revised SIQ and IUQ had high internal consistency reliability. Results from the IUQ as well as the open-ended questionnaire, revealed that athletes used imagery predominantly before competition. Open-ended findings revealed that athletes also used imagery in tough/difficult situations where pressure was high. Results are discussed in terms of previous imagery and socialization literature, and practical implications as well as future research directions are offered.