The Beneficial Effects of Anticipating Anxiety-Related Symptoms: An Investigation of Paradoxical-Success Imagery in the Laboratory

This study investigated the efficacy of a paradoxical imagery strategy that consisted of participants imaging themselves experiencing symptoms characteristic of competitive anxiety, prior to executing a golf-chip shot. Forty male golfers of moderate skill level participated in a two-day experiment conducted in the laboratory. Wegner's (1994) theory of ironic processes of mental control served as the theoretical framework. In addition to the paradoxical component, the imagery technique (paradoxical-success imagery) of interest included additional substantiated components: cognitive specific (i.e., skill), motivational general-mastery (i.e., confidence/focus), kinesthetic, and positive-outcome imagery (Martin et al., 1999). Participants employing the paradoxical imagery strategy showed significant performance improvement in both competitive and pressure situations compared to pre-treatment levels. The findings suggest that paradoxical-success imagery can potentially facilitate performance, when combined with appropriate imagery components and training. Practical implications, potential drawbacks, and suggestions for future research with paradoxical imagery are discussed.