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

Abstract

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.

Reinstatement of Individual Past Events Revealed by the Similarity of Distributed Activation Patterns during Encoding and Retrieval

“…As discussed later, this unexpected finding could reflect ERS in eye movement patterns (Holm & Mäntylä, 2007; Laeng & Teodorescu, 2002). …”

“…One possible explanation is that item-ERS in this region reflects ERS in eye movements and that this similarity enhanced memory. Consistent with this idea, eye movement studies have shown ERS in eye movement patterns is associated with better memory (Holm & Mäntylä, 2007) and that participants reinstate encoding eye movements during retrieval, even during free recall (Laeng & Teodorescu, 2002). If confirmed, this effect would add to growing evidence for the role of eye movements in visual memory (for a review, see Hannula et al, 2010).…”

Eye movements disrupt episodic future thinking

“…Neisser (1967) then argued that eye movements are necessary to the construction of a visual image, and Baddeley (1986) posited that voluntary eye movements interfere with visuo-spatial mental imagery. This hypothesis is supported by experimental data (Hale, Myerson, Rhee, Weiss, & Abrams, 1996;Laeng & Teodorescu, 2002;Lawrence, Myerson, Oonk, & Abrams, 2001;Pearson & Sahraie, 2003;Postle et al, 2006). Further studies showed that eye movements (specifically, endogenously generated smooth pursuit) reduce the vividness and emotional impact of personal recollections (Andrade, Kavanagh, & Baddeley, 1997).…”

Getting directions from the hippocampus: The neural connection between looking and memory

“…Another looking behavior associated with memory is re-enactment, in which spontaneous eye movements during mental imagery (e.g., recalling visual content as if it were being currently seen while looking at a blank screen) closely reflect the content and spatial relations of the original picture (Brandt and Stark, 1997; Johansson and Johansson, 2013; Laeng and Teodorescu, 2002; Spivey and Geng, 2001). This behavior has been linked to improved memory: Allowing subjects to freely move their eyes on a blank screen during recall increases performance on a recall task compared to requiring subjects to stare at one location (Johansson and Johansson, 2013).…”