Fundamental Differences in Imagery Workspaces in Young Adults

Abstract

This is a quantitative study of imagery in ninety-six undergraduates, addressing the problem of individual differences in the characteristics of mental imagery workspaces. A 20-item questionnaire embodying nine characteristics of mental imagery workspaces was administered to seventy-eight females and twenty males. Item analysis employed an SPSS computer statistical package, including: 1) frequency distribution for each item and 2) analysis of variance using F tests for the variable of gender. ANOVA by gender disclosed statistically significant higher frequency of mental imagery workspaces reported within the thinking of males than of females. Characteristics of imagery reported by subjects include presence or absence of mental imagery, color, black and white, movement, images of numerals, ability to control the onset and erasure of the mental imagery workspace and use of imagery to do mathematics. Reliability analysis for the sum of all items on the questionnaire developed by the researcher produced a coefficient Alpha of .743. Main finding is that there are statistically significant differences among individuals in the characteristics of their mental imagery, with males reporting significantly greater frequency of imagery workspaces.