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You are here: Home » COACH PORTFOLIOS » Research Papers » Research Paper: Neuro-Science Behind Visualization

Research Paper: Neuro-Science Behind Visualization

2013/12/03

When  you visualize, i.e., create  an image in the mind,  you are bringing in to play the  above two properties of the brain. Because brain cannot distinguish whether you are imagining something or doing it, brain goes about creating the necessary new neural pathways / connections, as explained in the section above, even  you  imagine  it.  Neuro-Scientists  have  discovered  that visualization establishes neural pathways in the brain which act as a blue-print to be followed in the actual performance. Brain creates the same neural pathways when you visualize doing something or when you actually do it. Qualitatively one is indistinguishable from the other.Here is the crucial aspect of Visualization technique, whatever neural pathways are formed as a part of imagining something, can be strengthened by doing that same thing later. And because of the existing neural circuits already formed corresponding to that activity (due to prior visualization of you doing that activity), when you actually start doing it, even if it is first time, it starts feeling familiar.Let me illustrate this with a simple example:You are supposed to give a short pep-talk to a group of your juniors who have newly joined your organization. Only catch is you have never done this before and your anxiety levels are building as the fateful day is nearing. This is where Visualization can be used to help you. Every day for few minutes, until the date of your actual delivery, if you can visualize yourself standing in the conference room infront of your juniors and delivering the pep-talk, the needed neural circuits to be able to deliver it start being created inside your brain. The strength of the connections is directly proportional to the intensity of your imagination. Feeling strengthens the neural connections  i.e, you can remember it longer. As you keep doing this visualization a couple of interesting things start to happen, not only are new neural pathways corresponding to your public speaking capability start getting created, the scene of you standing in front of your juniors starts becoming more and more familiar i.e, your anxiety levels start coming down. It is the fear of unfamiliarity that causes anxiety. In this case your visualization has made the experience of standing in front of your juniors  more  and  more familiar. After this  practice you  will  be  less  anxious  and  the probability of you succeeding will be far higher than without this visualization practice.This aspect of Visualization helping make an unfamiliar task familiar and make its learning easier is being exploited in many diverse fields. Visualization is being employed in training sportsmen improve their performance by visualizing the desired outcome, much before it materializes. To see this technique in action  and  to  understand  the  Neuro  Biology  of  Visualization  you  can  also  refer  to  this  video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4kohD16m0c

Surgeons, pilots, doctors, patients , students, teachers, coaches and people from all walks of life are finding this technique very useful in overcoming their fears of learning something new or helping others in improve their performance by removing the mental blocks.

Visualization as a technique to relax the mind and the body and help marshal the immune system of the body is being used in health care too. There is well researched and documented evidence of noticeable improvements in the condition of patients as a result of Visualization used in conjunction with regular medication.  Academy  for  Guided  Imagery’s  website  lists  a  lot  of  studies,  done  on  applications  of visualization in helping patients with variety of illnesses, under their ‘Resources’ section. Please refer to References section below for more details. Cancer specialist Carl O. Simonton has been applying Visualization in treating cancer patients for more than three decades with remarkable results. Patients are taught some specific visualization exercise corresponding to their illness and encouraged to practice them  daily  while  they  undergo  regular  medical  treatment.  It  has  been  found  that  the  rate  of improvement of his patients is higher compared to the patients who are treated with conventional cancer treatments without application of Visualization.

Guided Imagery reduces the symptoms of patients suffering from PTSD by lowering activity in the emotional centers of the brain and raising activity in the areas of the brain that allow us to voluntarily control out thoughts and feelings.

Visualization has also been found to be very useful in helping top performers in Sports to overcome what Scientists call as Choke, to perform sub-par when it counts the most due to overwhelming mental stress. Sian Beilock of University of Chicago has done pioneering research in this area.

Visualization & its Coaching application

Visualization is one of the most important tools in a Coach’s arsenal. Latest research, as explained above, should help the Coaching fraternity to use this tool even more effectively as Visualization’s effects have been scientifically validated across many different fields.

Visualization is an important aspect for setting any goal, since much of the unconscious brain is oriented around a  visual construction of  the  world.  If  you want to do better  in sports, many  studies  have confirmed that visualizing your performance actually improves your game. The same is true for work. I f you visualize a possible solution to a problem, the problem is more easily solved because it specifically activates cognitive circuits involved with working memory.

Visualization helps us distance ourselves from a disturbing memory or problem, yet it simultaneously brings us closer to our desires. You can visualize yourself being a better golfer, or you can envision yourself as being a more ethical person, but in either case, your neural connections will help you actually achieve those goals.

Sometimes Clients have difficulty visualizing. But the fact is, even if you don’t think you are good at visualization, your brain is built to envision virtually every thought it has. Even abstract notions like peace are first processed unconsciously within the visual centers of the brain. So each one of us has the innate ability to visualize. It’s a skill that can be developed through practice.

Benefits of Visualization

Relaxation:

When you visualize your brain generates alpha waves. When brain produces alpha waves, you experience increased relaxation, focus & pleasure, and reduce pain, stress & anxiety.

Influences  Sub-Conscious Mind:  

Your subconscious cannot tell the difference between a real memory, and a vividly imagined visualization

As such, when you visualize you effectively implant new memories into your self-image – meaning that your subconscious mind  “thinks” you are already the success you dream of being. This frees up subconscious resources to help you reach your goals, and it also increases confidence, sometimes dramatically.

Increases Confidence:

After a few days of Visualization, you’ll start to feel more confident because your mental practice starts making you feel the success as real, i.e., achievable.

Increases Focus and Desire:

When you consciously direct your intent on a particular object, the brain blocks out sensory and neural information that does not pertain to the object of contemplation

and it screens out anything that it considers irrelevant, i.e., the more you visualize with a clear intent the more focused you become and higher is the probability of you achieving your goal, and thus you will increase your desire to achieve the same because the goal starts appearing achievable.

Increases Non-judgmental Awareness:

When practiced right Visualization also helps in detaching from the scene of action and thus helps in having bird’s eye view of the whole situation, which in turn helps in increasing our Non-judgmental awareness.

Improves Self-Image:

Impressing successful images on your sub-conscious mind results in you feeling happier, more capable and more confident. This in turn leads to a very positive Self-Image.

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References

Some books that talk about Visualization and how Mind influences brain / body

Creative Visualization – Shakti Gawain

Guided Imagery for Self Healing – Martin L Rossman

Biology of Hope – Norman Cousins

Love, Medicine, and Miracles – Bernie S Siegel

The Placebo Response – Richard Kradin

Biology of Belief – Bruce Lipton

Anatomy of an Illness – Norman Cousins

Head First : Biology of Hope - Norman Cousins

Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain - Sharon Begley

The Emotional Life of your Brain - Richard Davidson

The Psycho-Biology of Mind Body Healing - Ernst L. Rossi

Get Well Again – Carl O. Simonton

How God Changes Your Brain - Andrew Newberg

The Brain that Changes Itself - Norman Doidge

Website which talks about applications of Visualization in Clinical situations: Academy for Guided Imagery – http://www.academyforguidedimagery.com

Using Visualizing in Skill Building: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4kohD16m0c

The Human Mind - 3 part Documentary by BBC  explores various aspects of human mind and the above clip is taken from Part 1 of this documentary.

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Filed Under: Research Papers Tagged With: bala kishore batchu, life coaching using spiritual principles, neuro-science coaching, visualization in coaching

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