Chapter 10: Visual Imagery vs. Perception

visual imagery

seeing in the absence of visual stimulus

mental imagery

the ability to re-create the sensory world in the absence of physical stimuli; includes all the senses

mental chronometry

determining the amount of time needed to carry out various cognitive tasks

mental scanning

participants create mental images and then scan them in their minds

True or false, if imagery is spatial then it should take longer for participants to scan from object to object if they are far apart

true

imagery debate

a debate about whether imagery is based on spatial mechanisms or propositional mechanisms

spatial mechanisms

like those involved in perception

propositional mechanisms

mechanisms related to language

spatial representations

representations in which different parts of an image can be described as corresponding to specific locations in space

epiphenomenon

something that accompanies the real mechanism but is not actually part of the mechanism

propositional representations

representations in which relationships can be represented by abstract symbols, such as an equation or a statement

what is this an example of, “the cat is under the table”

propositional representation

You are shown a picture of a cat laying under a table, what is this an example of?

spatial or depictive representation

imagery neurons

neurons that respond in the same way to perceiving an object and to imagining it

neuropsychological case studies

removing part of the visual cortex decreases imagery filed of vision size

unilateral neglect

when the patient ignores half of the visual field

what was the conclusion from the imagery debate?

most psychologists have concluded that imagery and perception are closely related and share some mechanisms

What are the differences between perception and imagery?

perception occurs automatically when we look at something, but imagery needs to be generated with some effort and perception will continue for as long as you are observing a stimulus, but imagery can vanish without continued effort

aphantasia

an inability to voluntarily generate mental images

why should we care about mental imagery?

helps us remember things better, mental imagery can enhance motor learning and performance, and improves planning and execution of tasks