Mental practice: neuroscientific support for a new approach

International audienceMental practice techniques continue to be popular for performers in sport, exercise, dance and clinical settings. We propose that the best elements ofimagery research should be retained and integratedinto a new working model of observation for mentalpractice. We will highlight some of our fundamentalconcerns with imagery as a sport psychology interventionand suggest that observation-based techniquesmay be better positioned to meet the goals that imagery advocates. We will introduce neuroscientificresearch to provide an evidence base to support thedevelopment of our observation model