Now Hear This: Auditory Sense may be an Undervalued Component of Effective Modeling and Imagery Interventions in Sport

Abstract

One of the most important goals of behavioral research in sport psychology and motor learning is to increase our understanding of how to more effectively manipulate structural elements of psychological skills so as to optimize learning and performance. Imagery and modeling research have long-held parallel trajectories; advancements in the understanding of one construct has often informed subsequent research on the other. Preliminary research examining the effect of auditory modeling has indicated that deliberate manipulation of sounds employed during modeled actions can positively impact motor skill learning, performance, and consistency. The imagery research has yet to directly examine the auditory sense, and thus examination of this imagery component would represent a meaningful contribution to our understanding of how to further optimize athletes’ imagery practice. The current paper reviews current knowledge regarding effective imagery and modeling structure, and provides theoretical and evidence-based rationales for the examination of the auditory sense in imagery research.