The psychometric properties of Richardson's 1977 Verbalizer-Visual-izer Questionnaire have been studied by analyzing papers in which this questionnaire was employed. Such review showed that the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire does not measure a unidimensional construct and does not predict the actual use of mental imagery in thinking. Further, a lack of long-term reliability of the questionnaire emerged. In conclusion, use of the questionnaire to assess the verbal-visual cognitive style appears questionable.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AkinsT.HollandsworthJ. G., & AlcornJ. D. (1983) Visual and verbal modes of information processing and cognitively-based coping strategies: extension and replication. Behavior Research and Therapy, 21, 60–73.
2.
AkinsT.HollandsworthJ. G., & O'ConnellS. J. (1982) Visual and verbal modes of information processing and their relation to the effectiveness of cognitively-based anxiety-reduction techniques. Behavior Research and Therapy, 20, 261–268.
3.
AlesandriniK. L. (1981) Pictorial-verbal and analytic-holistic learning strategies in science learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 358–368.
4.
AntoniettiA., & GiorgettiM. (1996) A study of some psychometric properties of the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire. Journal of Mental imagery, 20, 59–69.
5.
AshtonR.McFarlandK.WalshF., & WhiteK. (1978) Imagery ability and the identification of hands, a chronometric analysis. Acta Psychologica, 42, 253–262.
6.
BakanP., & StrayerF. F. (1973) On reliability of conjugate lateral eye movements. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 36, 429–430.
7.
BaroloE.MasiniR., & AntoniettiA. (1990) Mental rotation of solid objects and problem-solving in sighted and blind subjects. Journal of Mental Imagery, 14, 65–74.
8.
BarrattP. E. (1953) Imagery and thinking. Australian Journal of Psychology, 5, 154–164.
9.
BettsG. H. (1909) The distribution and functions of mental imagery. New York: Teachers College.
10.
BoswellD. L., & PickettJ. A. (1991) A study of the internal consistency and factor structure of the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire. Journal of Mental Imagery, 15, 33–36.
11.
CrowneD. P., & MarlowD. (1964) The approval motive: studies in evaluative dependence. New YorkWiley.
12.
DayM. E. (1964) An eye movement phenomenon related to attention, thought, and anxiety. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 19, 443–446.
13.
Di VestaF. J.IngersollG., & SunshineP. (1971) A factor analysis of imagery tests. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 10, 471–479.
14.
EdwardsJ. E., & WilkinsW. (1981) Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire: relationship with imagery and verbal-visual ability. Journal of Mental Imagery, 5, 137–142.
ErnestC. H. (1977) Imagery ability and cognition: a critical review. Journal of Mental Imagery, 1, 181–216.
17.
ForishaB. D. (1975) Mental imagery and verbal processes: a developmental study. Developmental Psychology, 11, 259–267.
18.
GordonR. (1949) An investigation into some of the factors that favour the formation of stereotyped images. British Journal of Psychology, 39, 156–167.
19.
GreenK. E., & SchroederD. H. (1990) Psychometric quality of the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire as a measure of cognitive style. Psychological Reports, 66, 939–945.
20.
HarshmanP. A., & PaivioA. (1987) ‘Paradoxical’ sex differences in self-reported imagery. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 41, 287–302.
21.
HasegawaK. (1986) [A study of factors of mental imagery]. [Japanese Journal of Hypnosis], 30-31, 33–39.
22.
HiscockM. (1978) Imagery assessment through self-report: what do imagery questionnaires measure?Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46, 223–230.
23.
KatzA. N. (1983) What does it mean to be a higher imager? In YuilleJ. C. (Ed.), Imagery, memory and cognition. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Pp. 39–63.
24.
KerrN. H.FoulkesD., & SchmidtM. (1982) The structure of laboratory dream reports in blind and sighted subjects. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 170, 286–294.
25.
KimuraD. (1973) The asymmetry of the human brain. Scientific American, 228, 70–77.
26.
KirbyJ. R.MooreP. J., & SchofieldN. J. (1988) Verbal and visual learning styles. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 13, 169–184.
27.
LorenzC., & NeisserU. (1985) Factors of imagery and event recall. Memory and Cognition, 13, 494–500.
28.
MarksD. F. (1973) Visual imagery differences in the recall of pictures. British Journal of Psychology, 64, 17–24.
29.
MatsunoT (1987) Cognitive style and representational strategies in categorical syllogistic reasoning. Tohoku Psychologica Folia, 46, 97–102.
30.
McGrathR. E.O'MalleyW. B.DuraJ. R., & BeaulieuC. (1989) Factor analysis of the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire. Journal of Mental Imagery, 13, 75–78.
31.
McKelvieS. J. (1994) Guidelines for judging psychometric properties of imagery questionnaires as research instruments: a quantitative proposal. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 79, 1219–1231.
32.
PaivioA. (1971) Imagery and verbal processes. New York: Holt.
33.
PaivioA., & ClarkJ. M. (1991) Static versus dynamic imagery. In CornoldiC. & McDanielM. A. (Eds.), Imagery and cognition. New York: Springer Verlag. Pp. 221–245.
34.
PaivioA., & HarshmanR. (1983) Factor analysis of a questionnaire on imagery and verbal habits and skills. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 37, 461–483.
35.
ParrottC. A. (1986) Validation report on the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire. Journal of Mental Imagery, 10, 39–42.
36.
RichardsonA. (1969) Mental imagery. New York: Springer.
37.
RichardsonA. (1977) Verbalizer-Visualizer: a cognitive style dimension. Journal of Mental Imagery, 1, 109–126.
38.
RichardsonA. (1978) Subject task and tester variables associated with initial eye movements. Journal of Mental Imagery, 2, 85–100.
39.
RichardsonA. (1994) Individual differences in imaging. Amityville, NY: Baywood.
40.
SheehanP. W. (1967) A shorted form of Betts' Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 23, 386–389.
41.
SpoltoreJ. D., & SmockD. I. (1983) The Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire: additional normative data. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 56, 382.
42.
StevensM. J.PfostK. S., & RappB. J. (1987) Modifying acute pain by matching cognitive style with cognitive treatment. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 65, 919–924.
43.
StevensM. J.RappB. J.PfostK. S., & JohnsonJ. J. (1986) Further evidence of the stability of the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 62, 301–302.
44.
SullivanG. L., & MacKlinM. C. (1986) Some psychometric properties of two scales for the measurement of verbalizer-visualizer differences in cognitive style. Journal of Mental Imagery, 10, 75–86.
45.
TeagueR. G., & GoldS. R. (1981) Increasing attention to daydreaming by self-monitoring. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 37, 538–541.
46.
TsugawaH., & HasegawaK. (1992) [A study of the imagery ability and the function to retain digiti in experts in abacus-derived mental calculations], [Japanese Journal of Hypnosis], 37, 1–6.
47.
WarrenR., & GoodG. (1979) The Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire: further normative data. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 48, 372.
48.
ZenhausernR. (1978) Imagery, cerebral dominance, and style of thinking: a unified field model. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 12, 381–384.
