Abstract
The study examined the effect of a cognitive-specific (CS) imagery intervention on a hurling and a golf task and self-efficacy and mental imagery ability within a training environment in hurling and within a staged environment over three time points. Throughout the subsequent intervention phase, participants in the experimental group completed imagery script practice. This study also investigated whether self-efficacy beliefs would be higher in those involved in a team or individual sport. This study also investigated if those with superior self-efficacy beliefs and imagery ability would produce a superior performance than those with lower self-efficacy beliefs and imagery ability. Results revealed that the imagery intervention had no positive effect on performance in the two groups although scores for hurling showed a significant difference between Time1, Time2 and Time3. Analysis found partial supports for links between self-efficacy, imagery ability and high scores with a positive relationship between self-efficacy at Time1 and imagery ability at Time3 showing a moderate relationship. No difference was in the self-efficacy beliefs of the two groups. Author Keywords: mental imagery, mental practice, mental rehearsal, sport, performance, visualisation
