Ongoing research on motor cognition
The research team for this experimental study of visual and motor imagery in mental travel is Prof Aidan Moran (School of Psychology, UCD, Principal Investigator), Prof Stephen Kosslyn and Dr Gregoire Borst (Harvard University), Prof Aymeric Guillot and Prof Christian Collet (Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France) and Dr Tadhg MacIntyre (University of Ulster).The field of “motor cognition” is concerned broadly with the mental processes by which the motor system plans and produces skilled actions. Within this field, an especially intriguing topic is that of motor imagery - people’s ability to simulate or imagine the movements of their bodies in space. Unfortunately, due to the absence of suitable measures, little research has been conducted as yet on the contribution of different imagery processes to expertise in skilled motor performance. However, with the advent of the “mental travel” chronometric paradigm (based on pioneering research by the world-renowned neuroscientist, Prof Stephen Kosslyn, Harvard University), we can now investigate the temporal dynamics of motor imagery processes objectively by comparing the duration required to execute real and imagined actions. Using this approach, the purpose of this IRCHSS-funded research is to investigate the role of object imagery, spatial imagery and motor imagery processes in skilled performance among a sample of expert athletes (international canoe slalom competitors). The research is funded by Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (2008-2010).