18 Questions
What is one of the primary uses of mental images?
To answer queries and solve problems
What did Tolman's maze study (1930) demonstrate about mental representations?
Rats can form cognitive maps of their environment
What is the main difference between symbolic and analogic representations of information?
Symbolic representations are more abstract, while analogic representations preserve main perceptual features.
What is the phenomenon observed by Shepard and Metzler (1971) when participants mentally rotate objects?
Reaction time increases linearly with the degree of rotation
According to the dual code theory, what is the symbolic code used for?
To represent features of objects using arbitrary symbols.
What happens when you 'zoom in' on a mental image, according to Kosslyn (1983)?
You lose information about the larger object
What is the main idea behind the functional equivalence hypothesis?
Mental imagery is functionally equivalent to perception.
What is the term for mentally 'scanning' a visual scene?
Image scanning
Which type of imagery is most commonly reported in diary studies?
Visual imagery
What is a cognitive map?
A mental representation of a physical environment
What is the propositional theory based on?
Mental images are constructed from deeper propositional representations.
Which researcher is associated with the dual code theory?
Paivio
What is the primary method used by Kosslyn et al. (1978) to measure the effectiveness of mental image scanning?
Measuring the time it takes for participants to press a switch when reaching a landmark
According to Slezak (1991, 1995), what is a key limitation of mental images compared to physical images?
Mental images do not preserve information as well as physical images
What is the primary factor that affects distance estimation in cognitive maps, according to Thorndyke (1981)?
The density of landmarks in a map
What is the primary method used by Stevens and Coupe (1978) to study mental rotation and cognitive maps?
Asking participants to imagine rotating a map 90 degrees clockwise
What is the primary finding of McNamara et al. (1984) regarding the effect of routes on cognitive maps?
The presence of routes increases the speed of distance estimation
What is a common finding regarding gender differences in mental rotations tests, as reported in many studies?
A male advantage in mental rotations tests
Study Notes
Mental Imagery
- Mental imagery is the mental representation of things that cannot be currently sensed, and can be in any modality (hearing, smell, taste, touch, vision).
- Visual imagery is the most reported in diary studies and the most studied type of imagery in humans.
Representations of Information
- Information can be represented in two ways: symbolic representations (e.g., words) and analogic representations (e.g., pictures).
- Symbolic representations use arbitrary symbols to represent features of objects, while analogic representations preserve main perceptual features of objects and their transformations.
Theories of Mental Imagery
- Dual code theory (Paivio, 1969, 1971) proposes that humans use both symbolic and analogic codes to represent information.
- Propositional theory (e.g., Anderson and Bower, 1973; Pylyshyn, 1973, 1984) suggests that propositions (mentalese) represent the deep meaning of objects and their relationships.
- Functional equivalence hypothesis (e.g., Jolicoeur and Kosslyn, 1985; Peterson et al., 1992) proposes that processes for constructing and manipulating mental images are similar to those used in visual perception.
Mental Imagery and Cognition
- Mental imagery is useful for answering queries, solving problems, making predictions, and planning actions.
- Mental imagery can be used to construct and manipulate mental maps, which are derived from navigating an environment and actively constructed from partial information.
Mental Maps and Navigation
- Cognitive maps can be affected by propositions, inferences, and conceptual knowledge.
- Distance estimation from cognitive maps is affected by the density of landmarks in a map and the presence of routes.
- Relative position is affected by heuristics, such as the presence of routes.
Mental Rotations
- Mental rotations are similar to visually observing physical rotations of objects.
- Reaction time (RT) is linearly related to the degree of rotation.
- Mental rotations involve operations on mental images that resemble what we would see by moving towards or away from physical objects in the real world.
Image Scaling and Scanning
- Mental images can be scaled up or down, similar to visually observing physical objects.
- Details of large objects are seen first, and to see details of small objects, we need to zoom in, which can result in a loss of information about large objects.
- Image scanning involves zooming in and out to see details of objects.
Test your understanding of cognitive psychology concepts, including mental imagery and rotation. This quiz covers experiments on memorization, landmark recognition, and image transformation. See how well you can recall and apply the principles of mental imagery.
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