Research on the impact of visualization and imagery training (using your imagination to picture yourself performing a task) has shown that imagination can be as eective as practising a skill physically (Jones et al, 2002). Researchers examined the eect of imagery script on a group of novice rock climbers.

Novice climbers were randomly assigned to either a control group who took part in a light exercise programme, or an experimental group who were exposed to a scripted imagery training programme.

After the participants went through their respective training, they climbed a 5.1-metre high wall following a designated route. Levels of self-ecacy and stress were measured before and during the climb. There was no signicant dierence in climbing performance, but the experimental group reported lower levels of perceived stress and higher levels of self-ecacy as compared to the control group.

This study shows that imagining practising a task can reduce stress and improve self-ecacy, adding another source of self-ecacy to the list generated by Bandura in 1994. Do you think this research supports the concept of imagination as a way of knowing? What makes you say that?