Watch, imagine, and perform? The effect of motor simulation interventions on sensorimotor task performance

The effect that motor simulation (MS) conditions like motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) can have on sensorimotor task performance has garnered significant research interest over the past fifty years. Recently, attention has turned towards the combined effects of MI during AO (AO+MI) on task performance. Despite recent behavioural evidence highlighting that engaging in AO+MI may provide greater performance benefits than engaging with either condition alone, existing models in the MS literature fail to consider the entire spectrum of MS conditions. In chapter two of this thesis, a new conceptual model, The Motor Simulation and Performance Model (MSPM), is presented. The MSPM describes the predicted performance improvements associated with various MS interventions across expertise levels. Chapter three provides an overview of the general methods employed throughout the experimental work presented in this document. Chapter four acts as a pilot study which demonstrates that skilled golfers who demonstrate high levels of kinaesthetic imagery ability preferentially benefit from a brief AO+MI intervention. Chapter five comprises of a large scale (n=144) experimental study where participants were categorised as high skilled or low skilled putters based on their putting kinematic consistency scores. Participants were assigned to one of five conditions, AO, MI, static AO+MI, dynamic AO+MI, or a reading control condition. Results suggest that highly skilled putters benefit from AO+MI, and MI conditions, while low skilled putters did not. Chapter six demonstrates that AO+MI can be used as an effective adjunct to physical practice in a skilled golf putting task. Chapter seven represents a stage two registered report in which two implementations, self-modelled, and peer-skilled-modelled are compared to one another, results suggest that self-modelled implementations may be more effective on kinematic measures of performance which are easily observable. Collectively, the findings in the current thesis demonstrate that skilled performers be most able to benefit from AO+MI, and MI conditions.