Posted on Aug. 5, 2025 by Lon Bartel

Mental imagery, also known as visualization, is a cognitive tool used to enhance performance across high-stakes environments, such as sports, surgery, aviation, and increasingly, law enforcement.

This article explores the theoretical foundations and applied science of visualization under high-arousal conditions, focusing on its use in immersive scenario-based training like the VirTra system. The ability to mentally rehearse multiple scenario permutations and extend learning beyond physical training confers significant cognitive and emotional advantages. Evidence suggests that when officers mentally rehearse stressful encounters both before and after training simulations, they improve decision-making, stress resilience, and situational awareness. 

Introduction

In high-arousal contexts—defined by acute physiological activation and elevated stakes—performance is often determined not only by physical skill but also by cognitive preparedness. Visualization, or mental imagery, is a method in which individuals mentally simulate sensory experiences to prime neural pathways associated with perception and action. In fields such as elite sports, surgery, and aviation, visualization is widely recognized for enhancing focus, reducing anxiety, and improving task execution (Heil, Owens, & McDaniel, 2023). 

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) operate under similar high-stakes, high-stress conditions, where decision-making under pressure can determine life or death. The VirTra system—a fully immersive, scenario-based training environment—offers an ideal platform to integrate and enhance visualization practices. Products such as the V-100 and V-XR are perfect for enhancing visualization practices in police officers by placing them in lifelike scenarios that reinforce making decisions under stress.

With its branching logic and high-fidelity simulations, VirTra allows officers to experience variable outcomes and continue mental rehearsal beyond the training session itself. Whether practiced before the event (anticipatory imagery) or after the event (reflective imagery), visualization improves both procedural memory and emotional control (Ness, 2025).

Visualization in High-Arousal Professions

Visualization has long been a foundational practice in sports psychology, where athletes mentally rehearse movements and strategies to enhance neurocognitive preparedness. The same principles have been applied in surgical training and aviation, where simulation fidelity is crucial. Mental imagery activates some of the same parts of the brain that are used when you actually move your body, like the areas that plan movements and process what you see and feel (Miller, 2020). 

In high-arousal conditions, these cognitive rehearsals serve a dual purpose: reinforcing procedural memory and reducing performance-degrading stress. Surgeons and pilots use mental rehearsal to reduce procedural errors under pressure (Clifford, Jung, & Hoermann, 2019). Studies show that officers who engage in brief, focused visualization exercises show improvements in working memory and situational awareness during high-stress engagements (Page, Asken, Zwemer, & Guido, 2016). Mental imagery under high-arousal conditions enhances cognitive efficiency, particularly when time constraints and threat perception activate sympathetic nervous responses (Carpenter, Gillespie, & Jorge, 2019) 

Scenario-Based Training and the VirTra System

The VirTra system represents a shift toward integrated, immersive training platforms that mirror real-world complexity. Its scenario-style training places officers in dynamic environments where their verbal and non-verbal responses guide scenario progression. Importantly, scenarios branch into hundreds of permutations based on the trainee’s behavior, creating numerous engagement possibilities. 

This realism enhances encoding and recall of training experiences, which aligns with visualization theory—mental rehearsal is most effective when it mimics real-life context and complexity. According to Muñoz, Lavoie, and Pope (2024), officers in simulations demonstrate more realistic psychophysiological responses and benefit from full-body immersive feedback. 

The Cognitive Power of Post-Scenario Visualization

One of the most powerful but underutilized aspects of mental imagery is post-scenario rehearsal. After completing a VirTra scenario, officers are encouraged to mentally re-run the scene, adjusting decisions, observing alternate outcomes, and integrating learning. This “imagination augmentation” turns a single training session into a multi-rep cognitive workout. 

As Thomas (2019) suggests, visualization before and after events primes neural systems not only for physical reaction but also for emotional regulation (Thomas). The reflective element promotes adaptive learning, error correction, and the consolidation of effective behaviors. These techniques are particularly beneficial in de-escalation training, where psychological regulation is critical (Muñoz et al., 2024). 

Extending Learning Through Scenario Branching

VirTra’s dynamic branching allows officers to explore permutations of conflict resolution, force use, and communication strategies. However, due to time and resource constraints, no training session can explore every outcome. Visualization fills this gap by enabling officers to mentally test alternate branches. Officers can simulate what might have happened if they spoke differently, moved sooner, or took another tactical approach. Through VirTra, the trainee is immersed in an environment that triggers authentic emotional and cognitive responses. Mental rehearsal before and after such scenarios can amplify retention and optimize future decisions (Michela, 2024) 

Such extrapolations deepen cognitive load and enhance retention. Gibson (2021) highlights that decision-making under pressure improves significantly when officers rehearse diverse verbal and behavioral responses before field deployment. 

Stress Inoculation and Imagery Training

Exposure to stress in a controlled environment fosters “stress inoculation,” a concept drawn from clinical psychology and operational training. Imagery contributes to this by letting officers rehearse how to manage bodily arousal, regulate breathing, and refocus attention during high-stakes moments. When combined with relaxation training or tactical breathing, mental imagery enhances physiological resilience (Pelekhaty, 2023). 

Furthermore, law enforcement academies increasingly include guided visualization as part of cognitive readiness programs. Thomas (2019) reports that officers who visualize tactical interactions before field operations report increased confidence, better situational control, and reduced anxiety (Thomas). 

Practical Recommendations for Law Enforcement Training

  1. Pre-Scenario Visualization: Officers should be encouraged to visualize successful navigation of scenarios prior to starting simulation, focusing on verbal commands, environmental scanning, and tactical posture.
  2. Integrated Debriefing: After each scenario, debriefing should include a guided mental replay of key moments. Instructors can ask: “What would you do differently? What might have happened if…?” 
  3. Imaginative Branching: Officers should be trained to mentally simulate alternative scenario outcomes not explored during the live simulation. This expands experiential learning far beyond physical training. 
  4. Combining Breath Control with Imagery: Integration of tactical breathing or heart rate variability (HRV) regulation with visualization improves composure and cognitive clarity under stress (Page et al., 2016; Muñoz et al., 2024). 

Conclusion

Incorporating visualization into law enforcement training through systems like VirTra equips officers with a cognitive toolkit to prepare for, perform during, and reflect upon high-arousal events. While immersive training systems offer realistic experiential learning, it is the combination of physical experience and post-event mental rehearsal that unlocks the deepest benefits. Mental imagery, particularly when integrated with techniques like tactical breathing, mindfulness, or biofeedback, supports autonomic regulation and cognitive control (Clifford et al., 2019). Future training paradigms should formally integrate visualization protocols—both scripted and spontaneous—to enhance officer performance, judgment, and resilience.

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References

  • Carpenter, B., Gillespie, D., & Jorge, R. (2019). Developing firefighter resiliency: A success-based training model. Google Books 
  • Heil, J., Owens, R., McDaniel, T. (2023). Sport Psychology Applied to the Tactical Training of Law Enforcement Officers. In: Staller, M.S., Koerner, S., Zaiser, B. (eds) Police Conflict Management, Volume II. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41100-7_5Miller, B. S. (2020). Improving resilience among law enforcement officers.  
  • Miller, B. S. (2020). Improving resilience among law enforcement officers (Master’s thesis, Naval Postgraduate School). Calhoun Institutional Archive. 
  • Muñoz, J. E., Lavoie, J. A., & Pope, A. T. (2024). Psychophysiological insights and user perspectives: Enhancing police de-escalation skills through full-body VR training. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1390677. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1390677 
  • Page, J.W., Asken, M.J., Zwemer, C.F. et al. Brief Mental Skills Training Improves Memory and Performance in High Stress Police Cadet Training. J Police Crim Psych 31, 122–126 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-015-9171-8 
  • Pelekhaty, O. (2023). The effect of mental skills training on firefighter performance under stress (Master’s thesis, Naval Postgraduate School). Naval Postgraduate School Institutional Archive. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/trecms/pdf/AD1224762.pdf 

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