Where can I find the basketball study done at the University of Chicago?
We assume you're referring to the famous basketball experiment:
A study conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago was done where he split people into three groups and tested each group on how many free throws they could make.
After this, he had the first group practice free throws every day for an hour.
The second group just visualized themselves making free throws.
The third group did nothing.
After 30 days, he tested them again.
The first group improved by 24%.
The second group improved by 23% without touching a basketball!!!!
A second website gives some more information about Dr. Blaslotto:
"Not only does a visualized experience condition the human brain," says Judd Blaslotto, Ph.D., a world-class powerlifter and author of a number of books on mind control, "but it will also program the human body."
From the outset the Suggestions Office thought this story a little fishy. (A U of C faculty member who's also a world-class powerlifter?) Indeed, trolling through PubMed, Web of Science, and WorldCat revealed no articles or books by Dr. Blaslotto -- leaving us doubtful he even existed.
Another researcher had similar doubts, and while unable to confirm Dr. Blaslotto's identity, found a "basketball experiment" conducted by Prof. L.V. Clark of Wayne State University in the 1960s.
Prof. Clark studied 2 groups of high school basketball players over a 2-week period: those who practiced by shooting free-throws each morning, and those who engaged in "mental practice", visualizing making shots but not actually doing real practice. Both groups improved their free-throw shooting. (Clark LV. Effect of mental practice on the development of a certain motor skill. Research Quarterly, v31 n4 (Dec 1960):560-569.)
There have been a few other studies of the effects of "mental practice" on basketball players. While obtaining rigorously tested results is difficult (the laboratory is different than the basketball court, you can't actually tell if the subjects are engaging in visualization, etc.) the experts seem generally optimistic: "In summary, the evidence produced thus far supports the use of imagery to benefit performance. Research has shown that imagery can produce better performance outcomes and have a positive effect on anxiety, motivation, and self-efficacy." [1]
So by all means, visualize yourself the game-winning shot...but don't let that keep you from some quality time in Ratner.
[1]: Morris, Tony, Michael Spittle and Anthony P. Watt. Imagery in Sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2005.
Here is a link to the real doc. Different spelling but is a power-lifter. Gotta love the telephone game of creating urban legends.
http://www.agelessadonis.com/
Posted by: Clinton Brown | June 23, 2011 at 12:22 AM