Besser-Siegmund, C. u. (2015 revised). wingwave - Like a wing beat of a butterfly (formerly EMDR in Coaching). Paderborn: Junfermann-Verlag.

The basic book on wingwave and its roots in the current revision. Read more

Besser-Siegmund, C. u. (2013). Mit Freude läufts besser - durch wingwave positive Emotionen fördern und Leistung steigern [With joy everything gets better - promote positive emotions and enhance performance through wingwave]. Paderborn: Junfermann-Verlag.

In this book, Marco Rathschlag scientifically substantiates that athletes, who are prepared with positive emotional management for their performance, achieve better results. Cora Besser-Siegmund demonstrated with him that this approach also works well at the workplace or in the private sphere of life. Read more

Before we begin with our coaching clients using the “wave” technique, we want to ensure that we pinpoint and trigger both the stressors, as well as the right impulse towards the path to achieving the goal. For that purpose, we conduct the muscle test, which will guide us like a compass through the process towards the aim of our coaching. As shown in the illustration, the Coachee/Subject forms a ring in the shape of an “O” using his thumb and index finger, which he or she holds together using maximum force. (...) In the next step, the Coach attempts to open the closed muscle ring and associates this process with the simultaneous presentation of various stressors.

The strength of the reaction means: “This feels good / I can handle it”

The weakness of the reaction means: “This feels unpleasant / I feel stressed”

Besser-Siegmund, C. u. (2013). Mit Freude läufts besser - durch wingwave positive Emotionen fördern und Leistung steigern [With joy, the going gets better - promote positive emotions and enhance performance through wingwave]. Paderborn: Junfermann-Verlag.

A point of criticism of the “classic Myostatic test” lies in that one had no experiences till date as to how often one can conduct that test without fatiguing the finger musculature of the subject. Therefore, the object of the following study was to examine whether significant fatigue effect occur when conducting the Myostatic test repeatedly, which would adversely affect the reliability of method. Read more

Rathschlag, M. (2013). Self-generated emotions and their influence on physical performance. Cologne: Promotions-Arbeit an der Deutschen Sporthochschule Köln [Doctoral thesis at the German Sport University Cologne].

Within the scope of fundamental researches on the effect of wingwave Coaching, the qualified psychologist Marco Rathschlag was able to prove that positive emotions, such as, “happiness” are accompanied by a higher physical strength than the emotions of “anxiety” or “sadness”. Read more

Fritsche, N. (2007). Effektivität der wingwave-Methode beim Einsatz gegen Prüfungsängste [Effectiveness of the wingwave method to combat test anxieties]. Thesis for the final examination in the study of psychology at the University of Hamburg.

In 2007 Nadia Fritsche examined in her thesis the effectiveness of the wingwave method in the treatment of test anxiety (Fritsche, 2007). Read more

Besser-Siegmund, C. u. (2013). Mit Freude läufts besser - durch wingwave positive Emotionen fördern und Leistung steigern [With joy, everything gets better - promote positive emotions and enhance performance through wingwave]: Junfermann-Verlag.

“Motivated by the previous positive results of the wingwave method in case of the emotion of anxiety, we now wanted to know whether the method was also suitable in the treatment of a specific phobia, in this case, the arachnophobia, so as to achieve a significant reduction in the symptoms of the subjects.” Read more

Grimberg, M. (2013). Der Einsatz der wingwave-Methode zur Steigerung der objektiven Leistung und Verbesserung des subjektiven Wohlbefindens beim 5.000m-Lauf. [The use of wingwave method to increase the objective performance and improve the subjective well-being in the 5000 meter run.] Bachelor’s thesis

Within the scope of her bachelor’s thesis, Maria Grimberg examined in the following study whether wingwave can increase the performance of athletes who complete a 5000 meter run (Grimberg, 2013). Read more

Schellewald, V. (2010). Der Einsatz der wingwave-Methode zur psychischen Rehabilitation nach Sportverletzungen [The use of wingwave method for psychological rehabilitation after sports injuries]. Cologne: Bachelor’s thesis at the German Sport University Cologne

Kutscha, D. (2012). Der Einsatz der wingwave-Methode nach Sportverletzungen. eine Nachfolgeuntersuchung [The use of wingwave method after sports injuries. A follow-up study]. 
AV Akademiker Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. Saarbrücken

In her study with 45 participants with medically cured sport injuries, but having restricted performance capacity, Schellewald was able to prove that with a one-hour wingwave intervention, the athletes were “mentally strengthened” to be able to return to their form of sport: In comparison to a control group without intervention and to a placebo group with one hour of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, they had significantly fewer flashbacks, a significantly lower negative expectation and complained significantly less about the lack of social support. These effects were time-stable and regardless of the respective Coach. Read more

Nasse, A. F. (2013). Der Einsatz der wingwave-Musik bei körperlicher Aktivität hinsichtlich objektiver sowie subjektiver Belastungsparameter [The use of wingwave music during physical activity with regard to the objective, as well as subjective stress parameters]. German Sport University Cologne. 

The study dealt with the influence of wingwave music during physical activity. A differentiation was made between the objective and the subjective stress parameters. The effect on the physical activity was visualized using a cardiac response. In the corresponding study, athletes were tested on the bicycle ergometer for heart rate and performance. The heart rate of the participants, who had warmed up without music, was higher than those who trained with music. Not only was the pulse positively changed, when the wingwave music was used during the warm-up. Even the peak performances (number of revolutions) turned out to be better and/or higher in case of this group, which listened to the wingwave music. Thus, the use of music led to a lower heart rate and, therewith, positively influenced the anaerobic performance. 

Transform performance stress into the joy of performance?

Dierks, M.-L. (2007). Scientific study at the Hannover Medical School. Published in the area of “Public Health”: Besser-Siegmund, Cora / Dierks, Marie-Luise, Siegmund, Harry: Sicheres Auftreten mit wingwave-Coaching [Perform with self-confidence using wingwave Coaching], published by Junfermann Verlag, Paderborn. For further information: Prof. Dr. Marie-Luise Dierks, Hannover Medical School, OE 5410, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Telephone: +49 (0)511-532-4458

From 2006 to 2007, the Besser-Siegmund-Institut studied, under the scientific direction of Marie-Luise Dierks, Professor of “Public Health” at the Hanover Medical School, the effect of presentation training on the stage assertion of people suffering from stage fright. Read more

Iglesias Monrós, Berta (2018). Los entresijos de la interpretación musical. Análisis de la capacitad de rendimiento escénico del intérprete musical con la aplicación de coaching wingwave: Conservatorio Superior de Música del Liceu.

Within her final dissertation, Berta Iglesias Monrós examined the stage performance of 27 musicians before and after having a wingwave coaching. Results show an increase in stage performance and in the musicians' emotional state as well as a decrease in pulse rate beats per minute. Read more

Hauk, O. e. (2004). Somatotopic representation of action words in human motor and premotor cortex. PubMed, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Words activate precisely specific neurons in the brain and, therewith, the associated responses. The British neuroscientist Olaf Hauk and his colleagues studied using an fMRI of native English speakers with regard to their responses to three similarly sounding words: To pick (pick with the hand), to lick (lick with the tongue) and to kick (kick with the feet). Read more

Kißler, J. e. (Juni2007). Buzzwords - early cortical responses to emotional words during reading. Psychological Science, S. 18(06) 475-80.

Neuroscientists, such as Johanna Kißler, regard “Buzzwords” as words, which are charged with a high emotional energy. These words may be perceived subjectively as pleasant or unpleasant, and move not just the psyche, but the body as well. Read more

www.nature.com/nature/journal/v435/n7045/abs/nature03687.html Quiroga and Kreimann “invariant visual representation by single neurons in the human brain”

Quiroga and colleagues researched the neural representation in human beings and objects at the level of abstraction: They found neurons, which not only responded selectively to the pictures of the actress Halle Berry, but similarly to the lettering of her name.  They were able to demonstrate the same response to pictures of the Sydney Opera House and even for the stimulus of “Sydney Opera”. Read more

Wegner, D. e. (May 1998). The Putt and the Pendulum: Ironic Effects of mental Control of Action. Psychological Science Vol. 9 No 3, pages 196 - 201.

In his study, Daniel Wegner dealt with the priming of negative words in the language. The Canadian social psychologist requested the subjects to hold a pendulum. He instructed one group: “Hold the pendulum steady!”, and said to the other group: “The pendulum should not swing sideways!”… Read more

Maria Richter, T. W. (February 2010). Do words hurt? Brain activation during the processing of pain-related words PAIN, 148(2): 198-205, doi:10.1016/j.pain.2009.08.009 .PAIN, pages 108 - 205.

According to the research conducted under the direction of Thomas Weiss, Professor of Psychology at the University of Jena, the very word “pain” can activate the pain center (Maria Richter, 2010). The result was reported by the press under the title “Words can Hurt”, and the recommendation was and is a careful use of words in pain management – above all, to focus on positively connoted words. Read more

Melzack, R. (1999). From the gate to the neuromatrix. PubMed, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

The Canadian Professor of Psychology Ronald Melzack coined the term Neuromatrix. In simplified terms, we are all born with some preprogrammed behavioral options, which also include our “emotional program”, for example, panic, disgust or anger. A neuromatrix contains all the behavioral and perceptual filters, which accompany the process of such emotional waves. Read more

Koepchen, J. (03 2015). www.mentalmed.de/blog/archives/66-Achtsamkeit-macht-schlank-und-gesund.html.

Langer, E. J. (2007 (18)). Mind-Set Matters. Psychological Science, 165 - 171. Refer to Koepchen.

In case of a placebo effect activated by language, a word or a sentence causes a positive effect in a person because that person associates the language stimuli with positive expectations. Ellen Langer studied this effect on room attendants working in hotels. The women of the test group were explained that their work corresponds to an ideal fitness training and is very healthy. Read more

Michalak, J. (2014). How we walk affects what we remember. Witten: Witten/Herdecke University. www.uni-wh.de/en/news/details/artikel/unsere-art-zu-gehen-beeinflusst-was-wir-uns-merken-1/

People slouching along with sagging shoulders tend to remember negative things, while those with a cheerful posture and gait rather remember positive things – this was proven in a study by the psychologist Prof. Dr. Johannes Michalak of Witten/Herdecke University, which he, together with the colleagues from the Canadian Queen´s University, published in 2014. Read more

Lieberman, M. D. (2007). Putting feelings into words - affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science.

Lieberman’s studies substantiate the effectiveness of client-centered conversation: During a brain scan, the test subjects were shown images of faces, which expressed various emotions, such as fear or anger. The subjects responded to the observed emotions with an activity in the amygdala. The amygdala calmed down and the activity in the prefrontal cortex increased as soon as the subjects clicked on that term from a list of words describing specific emotions, which adequately described the observed feeling. Read more

Silberzahn, R. (2013), It Pays to Be Herr Kaiser: Germans With Noble-Sounding Surnames More Often Work as Managers ThanasEmployees

The scientists Raphael Silberzahn from the University of Cambridge and Eric Luis Uhlmann from the Business School HEC in Paris found out the following: A person with a surname, such as Kaiser (“emperor”), König (“king”) or Fürst (“prince”), has a higher probability to be in a managerial position than a colleague named Bauer (farmer) or Koch (cook) (Silberzahn, 2013). Even the first names trigger associations: Teachers assume a child named ALEXANDER to be intelligent than a child named KEVIN. Read more

Schwarz, M./J. Chur (1993): Semantik. Ein Arbeitsbuch [Semantics: A Workbook]. Tübingen: Narr.

Word experiments with the “priming method” – this implies the facilitation of the responses of our nervous system through specific stimuli – have proven the existence of semantic networks. “In this test method, a word (e.g. DOCTOR) is specified as a prime to the test persons, subsequently, another word (e.g. NURSE or FLOWER) is named as the target word. The test persons were instructed earlier to specify as quickly as possible (by pressing a button), whether the specified target word is a meaningful word or whether it is only a meaningless sequence of syllables. Read more