Imagery into Action: Visual Imagery and Occupational Therapy Education

Abstract

Visual mental imagery, or the ability to perceive a situation or set of objects in the “mind's eye,” is an important aspect of the learning process. One of the major theories of imagery is called the array theory and is aimed at describing components in an imagery processing system. Building on past research supporting this theory, a study was performed that examined three-dimensional space in images. Forty subjects participated in an imagery scanning task under conditions involving either a real or photographic display of objects. Results indicated that (a) space is a property of images; (b) the stimulus from which an image is formed may affect perceived space in images; and (c) differences in individuals' ability to form vivid images could influence perceived space. Further research is needed to enable occupational therapy educators to assess how activity is preserved in images and how individual differences among students could relate to the array theory of imagery processing.

Keywords

perception vision cognition

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