Dr. Jan Rauch, IAP Institute for Applied Psychology, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Center for Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy: First, we need to define the term “visualization.” It usually refers to mentally imagining something in pictures. Visualization first became known in the field of sports, primarily through movement visualization, for example, to train complicated movements or sequences of movements. Skiers, for example, visualize themselves skiing around all the turns before a race. And in artistic gymnastics, visualization is used to first imagine a complicated dismount from the apparatus 100 times before actually performing it.

Research shows that intense imagination triggers nerve impulses, even when you are only imagining the movement. This type of effect through visualization is named after the psychologist Carpenter effect (also known as the idiomotor effect). It was first described over 100 years ago and has since been proven neuropsychologically. Intensive visualization of movements activates similar areas of the brain as actual movement – only without the motor Cortex. These brain activities can be measured using various scanners.

There are also studies in which researchers have shown that intensive visualization of muscle tension even had measurable effects on muscle cross-section. However, the effect is so small that it can never replace a workout at the gym. In less frequently used muscle groups, such as the muscle that lifts the little finger, the effect is more pronounced. This type of visualization can be used in physical therapy, for example, by having patients both mentally imagine and actually perform (movement) exercises. The effect is then strongest and supports the healing process.

However, imagining movement is not the only type of visualization. You can also intensely imagine images of success, which then have a more motivational effect. For someone running a marathon, the idea of their family waiting at the finish line can motivate them to finish the marathon – even if they feel like giving up along the way. This effect is also used in medicine to some extent, by asking patients to imagine a desired future. This can help them to remain motivated to continue with therapies or other treatment methods despite difficult circumstances. However, pure imagination alone will not cure an illness.

Another possible application is to mentally rehearse different situations of an event. This can help in a sporting competition, for example, by imagining possible distractions from sporting competition before the competition and “practicing” your own reaction to them. Such exercises help you to maintain concentration and not be distracted at crucial moments. Visualization can also be used for stress reduction and relaxation, for example by intensely imagining a beautiful place that you associate with deep relaxation. Autogenic training, one of the scientifically proven relaxation methods, also works with the power of imagination. Here, visualization certainly has medical benefits.

However, you can also work with visualization in other areas and imagine a desired future, for example: Where do I want to work or how do I want to feel in the future? This approach is sometimes used in therapy and counseling. People often know what they don't want. But the question of what they want or how they want to feel is often more difficult for respondents to answer. Visualizing a desired future can help them get closer to these answers. These ideas can then be used to derive concrete goals for the direction in which one would like to develop, and they can help to take the first steps in this direction. However, it is important to clearly distinguish visualization from manifestation, which leads many to believe that things can be changed through pure imagination. But here it is clear: there is no mental effect through simple imagination.

Recorded by Stefanie Flunkert