The roles of cognitive and motivational imagery on flow: a multiple indicators multiple causes approach
Seungmin Lee, Jun-Phil Uhm · 2026
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Description
Seungmin Lee and Jun-Phil Uhm studied how mental imagery feeds the flow state in athletes in a 2026 paper. Flow, the absorbed state where performance feels effortless, has many dimensions, and coaching often trains imagery without separating its kinds. The team surveyed hundreds of collegiate athletes. Five imagery abilities were tested against nine flow dimensions in a statistical model that links causes to many indicators at once.
Motivational imagery, covering goals, feelings, and mastery, predicted flow directly. Cognitive imagery, covering skills and strategy, showed no direct effect. Instead, it reached flow through motivational imagery, which acted as a bridge across most dimensions. One flow component, loss of self consciousness, barely connected to any imagery. The authors advise blending motivational content into cognitive focused mental training.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Seungmin Lee, Jun-Phil Uhm |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 41 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |