Concerning imagery.

Hebb, D. O.

doi:10.1037/h0026771

Cited by 371 publications

(182 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

160

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…although the latter is obviously a salient expression of the activity of the underlying system. These and other related issues are discussed elsewhere in more detail by various authors (e.g., Cooper & Shepard, 1973;Hebb, 1968;Paivio, 1971Paivio, , 1974. The important point here is that consciousness is not viewed as a necessary defining attribute of the imagistic representations presumably involved in size comparisons and other tasks, although it often provides supplementary evidence that such a process is functionally activated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Perceptual comparisons through the mind’s eye

1975

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Four experiments tested a theory of memory and cognition which assumes that verbal and nonverbal information are processed in functionally distinct LTM systems. Subjects presented with pairs of pictures or printed names of animals and objects differing in rated real-life size were instructed to choose the conceptually larger member of each pair. the one that appeared to be farther away. or the one whose name was easier to pronounce. The following results were consistent with theoretical predictions: (1) RT to choose the larger member increased as the memory size difference decreased, for comparisons between as well as within conceptual categories; (2) memory size comparisons were faster with pictures than with words, whereas the reverse occurred for pronounceability comparisons; (3) with pictures, but not with words, size comparisons were significantly slower when real-life (memory) size relations conflicted with physical size relations than when the two were congruent; and (4) the size congruency effect was reversed for relative distance judgments of pictured pairs. These results cannot be easily explained by current verbal coding or abstract (propositional) theories of LTM representations.Moyer (1973) reported a study in which subjects compared the sizes of named animals from memory. The animal names had been previously ranked by the subjects according to their judgments of the relative sizes of the animals themselves. In the experimental task, subjects were visually presented the names of two animals, such as frog-wolf, and were required to throw a switch under the name of the larger animal. The result was that the reaction time (RT) for the choice increased systematically as the difference in animal size became smaller. Specifically. RT was largely an inverse linear function of the logarithm of the estimated difference in animal size. Since this function is similar to the one obtained when subjects make direct perceptual comparisons of patterns differing in size, Moyer argued that subjects compare animal names by making an "internal psychophysical judgment" after first converting the names to analog representations that preserve animal size. Smaller size differences between animals presumably are represented as smaller differences between the internal analogs, and the resulting decreased discriminability is ret1ected in increased reaction times.Moyer's study is unusually relevant to the question of how information about the perceptual world is represented in long-term memory. Although the experiment was not designed explicitly to test such a theory. the results are generally consistent with a dual coding approach according to which verbal and nonverbal information are represented and processed in functionally independent, though interconnected,

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Perceptual comparisons through the mind’s eye

1975

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Moreover, such an account fails to explain why subjects in both the Central Fixation group of Experiment 1 or Fixed Perception & Free Imagery group of Experiment 2 consistently showed quiescence of gaze whereas those in the Free Vision or Free Perception & Free Imagery groups consistently chose scanpaths towards the targets' locations. To conclude, Hebb (1968) may have been the first psychologist to propose explicitly an inherent oculomotor component in visual perception and visual imagery, claiming that if imagery is the reinstatement of a perceptual process, then this process should include eye movements. On this account, oculomotor patterns in imagery are not irrelevant but essential (Hebb, 1968).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To conclude, Hebb (1968) may have been the first psychologist to propose explicitly an inherent oculomotor component in visual perception and visual imagery, claiming that if imagery is the reinstatement of a perceptual process, then this process should include eye movements. On this account, oculomotor patterns in imagery are not irrelevant but essential (Hebb, 1968). The present study brings some support to this idea and, generally, to the view that eye movements in visual imagery play a functional, computational role during image generation, against the view that these eye movements simply mirror the internal scanning of the image in an epiphenomenal way.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hebb (1968) pointed out that when we build a visual image of a familiar object, for example a rowboat, the different parts of the objects are not clear all at once but successively. Similarly, during perception, we gaze at the actual object by a series of eye movements that bring into focus each of its relevant parts so that our perception is the integration of the results of several eye fixations (cf.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Eye scanpaths during visual imagery reenact those of perception of the same visual scene

2002

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Eye movements during mental imagery are not epiphenomenal but assist the process of image generation. Commands to the eyes for each fixation are stored along with the visual representation and are used as spatial index in a motor-based coordinate system for the proper arrangement of parts of an image. In two experiments, subjects viewed an irregular checkerboard or color pictures of fish and were subsequently asked to form mental images of these stimuli while keeping their eyes open. During the perceptual phase, a group of subjects was requested to maintain fixation onto the screen's center, whereas another group was free to inspect the stimuli. During the imagery phase, all of these subjects were free to move their eyes. A third group of subjects (in Experiment 2) was free to explore the pattern but was requested to maintain central fixation during imagery. For subjects free to explore the pattern, the percentage of time spent fixating a specific location during perception was highly correlated with the time spent on the same (empty) locations during imagery. The order of scanning of these locations during imagery was correlated to the original order during perception. The strength of relatedness of these scanpaths and the vividness of each image predicted performance accuracy. Subjects who fixed their gaze centrally during perception did the same spontaneously during imagery. Subjects free to explore during perception, but maintaining central fixation during imagery, showed decreased ability to recall the pattern. We conclude that the eye scanpaths during visual imagery reenact those of perception of the same visual scene and that they play a functional role.

show abstract

“…Eye movements during imagery would, thus, somehow be connected with the internal attention shifts in the visual buffer. Hebb (1968) suggested a functional role for eye movements and proposed that, as in perception, eye movements during imagery are necessary to put together and organize the "part images" to construct a whole visualized image. This suggestion is supported by Laeng and Teodorescu (2002), who interpreted their results as a confirmation that eye movements play a functional role during image generation.…”

Section: Eye Movements and Internal Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pictures and Spoken Descriptions Elicit Similar Eye Movements During Mental Imagery, Both in Light and in Complete Darkness

2006

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study provides evidence that eye movements reflect the positions of objects while participants listen to a spoken description, retell a previously heard spoken description, and describe a previously seen picture. This effect is equally strong in retelling from memory, irrespective of whether the original elicitation was spoken or visual. In addition, this effect occurs both while watching a blank white board and while sitting in complete darkness.This study includes 4 experiments. The first 2 experiments measured eye movements of participants looking at a blank white board. Experiment 1 monitors eye movements of participants on 2 occasions: first, when participants listened to a prerecorded spoken scene description; second, when participants were later retelling it from memory. Experiment 2 first monitored eye movements of participants as they studied a complex picture visually, and then later as they described it from memory. The second pair of experiments (Experiments 3 and 4) replicated Experiments 1 and 2 with the only difference being that they were executed in complete darkness. This method of analysis differentiated between eye movements that are categorically correct relative to the positions of the whole eye gaze pattern (global correspondence) and eye movements that are only locally correct (local correspondence). The discussion relates the findings to the current debate on mental imagery.

show abstract

Concerning imagery.

Cited by 371 publications

References 12 publications

Perceptual comparisons through the mind’s eye

Perceptual comparisons through the mind’s eye

Eye scanpaths during visual imagery reenact those of perception of the same visual scene

Pictures and Spoken Descriptions Elicit Similar Eye Movements During Mental Imagery, Both in Light and in Complete Darkness

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About