Are Theories of Imagery Theories of Imagination? An Active Perception Approach to Conscious Mental Content

Thomas, Nigel J. T.

doi:10.1207/s15516709cog2302_3

Cited by 190 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 134 publications

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“…The most relevant part of this debate for the present review is the question put forward by Anderson (1978) 1 : can our experiments actually distinguish between different types of representations (e.g., visual or propositional, abstract or modality-specific)? Similar questions have been asked by other authors more recently (Thomas, 1999; Pylyshyn, 2002), but in this section we will follow the line of argument presented by Anderson (1978). …”

Section: The Mental Imagery Debatementioning

confidence: 78%

The Body of Evidence: What Can Neuroscience Tell Us about Embodied Semantics?

Hauk¹,

Tschentscher²

2013

Front. Psychology

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Semantic knowledge is based on the way we perceive and interact with the world. However, the jury is still out on the question: to what degree are neuronal systems that subserve acquisition of semantic knowledge, such as sensory-motor networks, involved in its representation and processing? We will begin with a critical evaluation of the main behavioral and neuroimaging methods with respect to their capability to define the functional roles of specific brain areas. Any behavioral or neuroscientific measure is a conflation of representations and processes. Hence, a combination of behavioral and neurophysiological interactions as well as time-course information is required to define the functional roles of brain areas. This will guide our review of the empirical literature. Most research in this area has been done on semantics of concrete words, where clear theoretical frameworks for an involvement of sensory-motor systems in semantics exist. Most of this evidence still stems from correlational studies that are ambiguous with respect to the behavioral relevance of effects. Evidence for causal effects of sensory-motor systems on semantic processes is still scarce but evolving. Relatively few neuroscientific studies so far have investigated the embodiment of abstract semantics for words, numbers, and arithmetic facts. Here, some correlational evidence exists, but data on causality are mostly absent. We conclude that neuroimaging data, just as behavioral data, have so far not disentangled the fundamental link between process and representation. Future studies should therefore put more emphasis on the effects of task and context on semantic processing. Strong conclusions can only be drawn from a combination of methods that provide time-course information, determine the connectivity among poly- or amodal and sensory-motor areas, link behavioral with neuroimaging measures, and allow causal inferences. We will conclude with suggestions on how this could be accomplished in future research.

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Section: The Mental Imagery Debatementioning

confidence: 78%

The Body of Evidence: What Can Neuroscience Tell Us about Embodied Semantics?

Hauk¹,

Tschentscher²

2013

Front. Psychology

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“…Imagery and imagination are commonly conflated concepts and indeed the term imagination is often used to name the general faculty of image production (Thomas, 1999). Despite the two terms sharing obviously many semantic features, imagination usually indicates the faculty of creating mental images and constructs of a novel character, a capability that appears to be especially developed in humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Neurobiology of Imagination: Possible Role of Interaction-Dominant Dynamics and Default Mode Network

et al. 2013

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This work aims at presenting some hypotheses about the potential neurobiological substrate of imagery and imagination. For the present purposes, we will define imagery as the production of mental images associated with previous percepts, and imagination as the faculty of forming mental images of a novel character relating to something that has never been actually experienced by the subject but at a great extent emerges from his inner world. The two processes appear intimately related and imagery can arguably be considered as one of the main components of imagination. In this proposal, we argue that exaptation and redeployment, two basic concepts capturing important aspects of the evolution of biological structures and functions (Anderson, 2007), could also be useful in explaining imagery and imagination. As far as imagery is concerned it is proposed that neural structures originally implicated in performing certain functions, e.g., motor actions, can be reused for the imagery of the virtual execution of that function. As far as imagination is concerned we speculate that it can be the result of a “tinkering” that combines and modifies stored perceptual information and concepts leading to the creation of novel “mental objects” that are shaped by the subject peculiar inner world. Hence it is related to his self-awareness. The neurobiological substrate of the tinkering process could be found in a hierarchical model of the brain characterized by a multiplicity of functional modules (FMs) that can be assembled according to different spatial and temporal scales. Thus, it is surmised that a possible mechanism for the emergence of imagination could be represented by modulatory mechanisms controlling the perviousness of “modifiers” along the communication channels within and between FMs leading to their dynamically reassembling into novel configurations.

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“…There also remains a lack of universal consensus regarding the nature of imagery experiences (Dennett, 2002;Kosslyn, 2005;Pylyshyn, 2002Pylyshyn, , 2003. The main controversy surrounding such imagery is whether or not it can be associated with a physical location in the brain (Bartolomeo, 2002;Bartolomeo & Chokron, 2002;Berman & Lyons, 2007; O' Regan & Noë, 2001;Thomas, 1999). Some arguments go even further, claiming that the concept of imagery has no place in scientific ontology, and even that it has no scientific basis at all.…”

Section: The Role Of Mental Imagery In Information Acquisitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of unconscious information processing in the acquisition and learning of instructional messages

Kuldas

Bakar²,

Ismail

2017

EJREP

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This review investigates how the unconscious information processing can create satisfactory learning outcomes, and can be used to ameliorate the challenges of teaching students to regulate their learning processes. The search for the ideal model of human information processing as regards achievement of teaching and learning objectives is a recurring issue in educational studies. Although conscious processes are more conducive to the objectives than unconscious processes, they do not necessarily result in satisfactory learning of instructional messages. Studies reviewed here show that the unconscious can play a facilitatory role in the encoding, storage, retrieval processes of information and learning activities, even when the conscious fails to achieve this. To take advantages of both conscious and unconscious processes, relevant literature suggests educators utilizing visual teaching aids that optimize use of working memory capacity and allow students to form mental imageries, thereby facilitating the comprehension of instructional messages.Keywords: unconscious processes, conscious processes, information acquisition, mental imagery, visual information processing. Received ResumenEsta revisión investiga cómo el procesamiento de la información inconsciente, puede ayudar a crear resultados satisfactorios en el aprendizaje, y puede ser utilizado para mejorar los retos de enseñar a los alumnos para regular sus procesos de aprendizaje. La búsqueda del modelo ideal del procesamiento de la información humana, para delimitar los procesos y los objetivos de aprendizaje es un tema recurrente en los estudios educativos. A pesar de que los procesos conscientes son los más implicados para la consecución de los objetivos educativos y de la preocupación por estos procesos, ello no se ha traducido necesariamente en aprendizaje satisfactorio de las informaciones educativas. Los estudios revisados aquí muestran que el inconsciente puede jugar un papel facilitador en la codificación, el almacenamiento, procesos de recuperación de información y actividades de aprendizaje, aún cuando la conciencia no puede lograr este objetivo. Para aprovechar las ventajas delos procesos, tanto conscientes como inconscientes, la literatura sugiere que los educadores deben utilizan ayudas visuales de enseñanza que optimizan el uso de la capacidad de memoria de trabajo y permitir así a los estudiantes formar imaginarios mentales, lo que facilita la comprensión de los mensajes educativos.Palabras clave: procesos inconscientes, procesos conscientes, adquisición de información, imaginarios mentales, procesamiento visual de la información.

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Are Theories of Imagery Theories of Imagination? An Active Perception Approach to Conscious Mental Content

Cited by 190 publications

References 134 publications

The Body of Evidence: What Can Neuroscience Tell Us about Embodied Semantics?

The Body of Evidence: What Can Neuroscience Tell Us about Embodied Semantics?

The Neurobiology of Imagination: Possible Role of Interaction-Dominant Dynamics and Default Mode Network

The role of unconscious information processing in the acquisition and learning of instructional messages

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