Week 11: • Ch. 4 Mental Imagery

What is mental imagery?

The processing of perceptual-like information in the absence of actual external stimuli.

What is visual imagery?

A form of mental imagery involving “seeing” in the mind without real visual input.

Who first studied the functional properties of mental images?

Shepard and Metzler (1971).

What task did Shepard & Metzler use to study mental imagery?

The mental rotation task with 3D block shapes.

What does the linear relationship in mental rotation suggest?

it suggests that mental rotation operates similarly to the actual physical rotation of objects.

What was the key finding in the mental rotation study?

A linear relationship between angular disparity and judgment time (more rotation = longer).

How is visual imagery similar to visual perception?

Both involve spatial manipulation and similar brain regions.

How is visual imagery different from perception?

It’s less detailed, harder to process, and can only be interpreted in one way.

Why is processing an image mentally harder than seeing a real stimulus?

Because mental imagery requires internally generating and maintaining the image, which takes more cognitive effort.

How is visual imagery similar to visual perception?

Both involve “seeing” objects and manipulating them mentally, and they activate some of the same brain regions.

How does visual imagery differ from visual perception?

Mental images can usually only be interpreted in one way and are harder to process than real stimuli.

Why is visual imagery harder to process than actual perception?

Because the brain must internally generate and maintain the image, rather than receiving it directly from sensory input.

Can visual imagery be ambiguous like pictures?

No — mental images are typically interpreted in only one way, unlike pictures, which can often be seen in multiple ways.