A direct comparison of the effects of imagery and action observation on hitting performance

doi:10.1051/SM/2012034

Paper

A direct comparison of the effects of imagery and action observation on hitting performance

Published Feb 1, 2013 · Brooke Neuman, R. Gray

Movement & Sport Sciences

UNKNOWN SJR score

42

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2

Influential Citations

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Abstract

Novice and experienced baseball players participated in one of two mental preparation conditions (observation, imagery) or a control group. Each participant completed three directional hitting tasks: pull hit, opposite-field hit, and sacrifice fly. Number of hits was significantly higher for both observation and imagery than for the control group. Experienced players demonstrated significantly larger effects of both preparation techniques. The effects of experience and preparation technique also varied significantly with task difficulty. These effects were significantly mediated by changes in batting kinematics. Imagery and action observation can improve hitting ability with the optimal method depending on skill-level and task difficulty.

Study Snapshot

Imagery and action observation both improve baseball hitting performance, with the optimal method depending on skill-level and task difficulty.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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Paper

A direct comparison of the effects of imagery and action observation on hitting performance

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References

From attentional control to attentional spillover: a skill-level investigation of attention, movement, and performance outcomes.

Novice golfers show better attentional control and putting accuracy, while experts struggle with skill-focused attention and early cues.

Hitting is contagious: experience and action induction.

More-experienced baseball players have more well-developed perceptual-motor representations for directional hitting, leading to a greater impact of action induction on their batting performance.

Expert Baseball Batters Have Greater Sensitivity in Making Swing Decisions

Expert baseball batters have greater sensitivity in making swing decisions based on the vertical launch angle of the pitch, resulting in higher hit rates and lower false alarm rates.

Switching tools: perceptual-motor recalibration to weight changes

Switching to a tool of a different weight requires re-calibrating perceptual-motor control, with heavier bats altering swing velocity and lighter bats altering onset time.

How Do Batters Use Visual, Auditory, and Tactile Information About the Success of a Baseball Swing?

Visual feedback is the most important factor for baseball players, but auditory and tactile feedback also contribute to improved swing accuracy.

Citations