ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the use of imagery and selects sensory modalities for facilitating decreased perception of effort and increased positive affective responses to exercise. It reviews innovative intervention strategies, including the use of mental imagery and olfactory, visual, and auditory stimuli. The chapter discusses empirical evidence pertaining to their effectiveness for facilitating perception of effort and optimizing affective responses to exercise. The chapter outlines potential use of relatively unexplored sensory modalities. It identifies gaps in the literature and provides recommendations for researchers. Research into the effectiveness of imagery for reducing perception of effort in exercise has focused on the change in effort perception, dominant attention focus, and time on task while using imagery during exercise. In the exercise domain, music can be used in both synchronous or asynchronous manners. The chapter concludes with practical implications and guidelines for best using these to promote long-term physical activity behavior in individuals.
