Abstract The effect of mental practice was compared with that of physical practice in the development of a motor skill, the Pacific Coast one-hand foul shot. One hundred and forty-four high school boys were equated into physical and mental practice groups on the basis of arm strength, intelligence, and varsity, junior varsity, or novice experience. Mental practice was found to be nearly as effective as physical practice under the conditions of the experiment. PHYSICAL EDUCATORS and coaches are becoming increasingly aware of the potential importance of the mental aspects of motor learning. To date, this awareness seems to be based more on intuition than on research evidence. For example, an extensive examination of literature disclosed only a few pieces of research that were designed primarily to investigate the effect of mental practice on the learning of motor skill. Wilbur E. Twining (11) made an observation in 1949 that is still true. In spite of the rapid advancement in the scientific approach to phys...
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