The Impact of Meaningful vs. Neutral Symbol Visualization on Sport-Related Performance in Male Wrestlers: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Study Rationale and Importance This study is guided by Jung's theory of symbols, symbolic interactionism, and the concept of personal meaning. Jung (1964) proposed that symbols can evoke emotional and psychological responses because they carry personally meaningful associations. From this perspective, a symbol may have psychological influence not because of its physical characteristics alone, but because of the meaning an individual attaches to it. Symbolic interactionism similarly suggests that individuals develop meanings through social interaction and use those meanings to understand themselves and guide behavior (Blumer, 1969). Within sport, identity is also shaped through symbolic meanings and social interactions, with athletic identity potentially influencing commitment, behavior, and perceptions of the self within the sporting environment (Leonard & Schmitt, 1987). Meaningful symbols may therefore serve as cues that reinforce aspects of athletic identity, competitiveness, and perceptions of capability.

The use of imagery as a psychological skills training (PST) technique provides an additional foundation for this investigation. Mental imagery is widely used in sport psychology and has been associated with athletic performance and psychological outcomes. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses indicate that imagery interventions can improve aspects of athletic performance and may influence psychological variables such as confidence and self-efficacy (Liu et al., 2025; Zhang et al., 2025). A 2025 multilevel meta-analysis of 86 studies involving more than 3,500 athletes found that imagery practice was associated with improvements in athletic performance, including muscle strength, while also emphasizing the need for additional rigorous research (Liu et al., 2025). Research examining psychological interventions in sport has similarly found potential benefits of imagery and other psychological skills interventions for athletic performance, although methodological limitations indicate that additional controlled research is warranted.

The present study extends the existing imagery literature by examining whether the psychological meaning attached to the image matters. Rather than using a standardized sport-performance image or generic visualization, the study uses an animal symbol selected by the athlete because of its personal meaning. The animal may represent characteristics such as strength, speed, aggression, persistence, dominance, confidence, or competitiveness. Consequently, the symbol may function as an individualized psychological cue that activates or reinforces characteristics the athlete associates with competitive performance. This approach is consistent with research suggesting that imagery can influence psychological states while also extending traditional imagery interventions toward more individualized and personally meaningful symbolic content.

Despite the widespread use of animal imagery, mascots, animal representations, and animal-associated characteristics in sport, there is limited empirical research examining whether a personally meaningful animal symbol can be intentionally used as a psychological tool to enhance competitiveness in athletes and influence athletic performance. In particular, little is known about whether an animal symbol that has personal psychological meaning to an athlete can activate or reinforce competitive characteristics, competitive readiness, and perceptions of capability, resulting in measurable physiological, psychological, or physical performance responses. This represents an important gap because existing research provides evidence for imagery and psychological skills training generally, but considerably less is known about whether a personally meaningful symbolic stimulus can serve as an intentional performance cue.

The present pilot study addresses this gap by comparing a five-minute visualization involving a personally meaningful animal symbol with a neutral wooden-block visual stimulus in collegiate wrestlers. The study will examine whether the two conditions are associated with differences in grip strength, and wrestling-specific rope-climb performance, while trait sport-confidence will characterize baseline individual differences. In doing so, the study provides an initial examination of whether an animal symbol can serve as a psychological cue for enhancing competitiveness and performance in athletes.