Date of Award

5-2017

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between imagery ability, subcomponents of competitive state anxiety, and performance outcomes in high school track and field athletes during the competitive season. Following IRB approval and parental consent, sixteen participants were recruited to participate in a four-week study using two thoroughly validated assessment tools: The Sport's Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ) and The Competitive State Anxiety Inventory #2 (CSAI-2). This study explored imagery ability by qualifying several aspects of imagery ability. Instead of focusing exclusively on frequency, (a commonly cited limitation to the applicability of the SIQ) the SIQ was modified to include three more variables: vividness of the image, ease of the practice, and control of the image or actions being performed. Athletes took the CSAI-2 while recalling their personal best and before two competitions to measure state anxiety. The SIQ was only taken once as a trait measure. Statistical analysis for competition one revealed statistically significant negative correlations between cognitive anxiety and performance, somatic anxiety and performance, imagery and cognitive anxiety, and imagery and somatic anxiety. Results also discovered a strong, positive correlation between self-confidence and performance. Imagery did not significantly predict performance outcomes according to ANOVA analysis. Imagery may have been operating as a mediating or moderating variable, and this should be pursued in the future. Competition two failed to produce any significant relationships, and there was no significant different between the use of frequency or all four imagery ability variables.

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Faculty Mentor

Travis Dorsch

Departmental Honors Advisor

Scott Bates

Capstone Committee Member

Kristine Miller