Figure 1

Significant differences between high- and low-aptitude users in motor imagery abilities evaluated by using a MI questionnaire and mental chronometry.

Average ratings (±standard error) among all items of the MIQ-RS questionnaire separately for the visual and kinesthetic subscales (upper panels). High aptitude users rated kinesthetic motor imagery as significantly easier than low aptitude users (a), while no difference between the groups was found for the visual MI subscale (b). Results (mean values ± standard error) related to the chronometric measurements are shown in the bottom panels. The Deviation from isochrony index (i.e. the deviation from an equal time required to execute and to imagine five hand clasping movements) was worse (higher) in low rather than high aptitude users (c). Conversely, the average time required to execute the movement did not differ between the two groups (d). Data in (c,d) are collapsed across left and right hands since they did not statically differ.