Abstract
The goal of this experiment was to investigate how individual differences in working memory capacity affected an individuals’ ability to benefit from mental imaging. The main hypothesis for the experiment was that individuals with higher working memory capacity would benefit more from mental practice than individuals with lower working memory capacity. Subjects were placed in either a mental and physical practice group or a physical practice only group. The mental/physical practice group practiced a ring toss game for three minutes, then had five minutes of mentally visualizing a 25-point toss, followed by another two minutes of physical practice. The physical practice group practiced physically tossing the rings for ten minutes. Subjects’ performance on the ring toss game was compared between their first day and their second day after they had completed the appropriate practice. Subject’s working memory capacity was measured using the AOSPAN. Furthermore, subjects also completed the Mental Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ), an image maintenance task, a visual short term memory task, and a mental chronometry task. Results showed that individuals in the combination practice group scored 15 points higher on day 2 than on day 1. Those in the physical practice scored only 9 points higher on day 2 than on day 1. There was also a strong correlation between AOSPAN performance and image maintenance scores. Improvements in the practice conditions (either combination or physical only) were not influenced by working memory capacity.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. W. Matthew Collins
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-8-2016 1:00 PM
End Date
4-8-2016 5:30 PM
Working Memory Capactiy and the Benefits of Mental Imagery Practice on a Ring Toss Game
Alvin Sherman Library
The goal of this experiment was to investigate how individual differences in working memory capacity affected an individuals’ ability to benefit from mental imaging. The main hypothesis for the experiment was that individuals with higher working memory capacity would benefit more from mental practice than individuals with lower working memory capacity. Subjects were placed in either a mental and physical practice group or a physical practice only group. The mental/physical practice group practiced a ring toss game for three minutes, then had five minutes of mentally visualizing a 25-point toss, followed by another two minutes of physical practice. The physical practice group practiced physically tossing the rings for ten minutes. Subjects’ performance on the ring toss game was compared between their first day and their second day after they had completed the appropriate practice. Subject’s working memory capacity was measured using the AOSPAN. Furthermore, subjects also completed the Mental Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ), an image maintenance task, a visual short term memory task, and a mental chronometry task. Results showed that individuals in the combination practice group scored 15 points higher on day 2 than on day 1. Those in the physical practice scored only 9 points higher on day 2 than on day 1. There was also a strong correlation between AOSPAN performance and image maintenance scores. Improvements in the practice conditions (either combination or physical only) were not influenced by working memory capacity.
