The role of visual imagery in autobiographical memory

Abstract

Visual imagery plays a fundamental role in autobiographical memory, but several aspects of this role remain unclear. We conducted three experiments to explore this relationship. In the first experiment, we examined the relation between the phenomenological properties of autobiographical memory and several measures of visual-imagery ability. We found no significant positive relation between imagery ability and autobiographical memory, except on a measure of cognitive style. In a second experiment, we examined the autobiographical memories of people with different cognitive styles-namely, visualizers and verbalizers. We found that, for both kinds of participant, visual imagery was correlated with the feeling that they were reliving their memories, but auditory imagery played a greater role in verbalizers. In a third experiment, we examined the memories of individuals who had a congenital absence of visual imagery. We found that they had a deficit of auditory imagery, as well; moreover, they were much less likely than controls to feel as though they were reliving their memories. The results support the idea that visual imagery plays a vital and irreplaceable role in autobiographical recall.

(A)phantasia and SDAM: Scientific and Personal Perspectives

“…The reduced activity in the precuneus is notable (Daniela Palombo, personal communication), because this area may be relevant to the mental imagery component (Cavanna and Trimble, 2006;Fletcher, 1995. As well as the three SDAM cases they studied, Palombo et al (2015) referred to two previous cases with a similar profile discussed by (Greenberg & Knowlton, 2014). In addition, although interpreted within the lesion literature, the patient reported in (Botez, 1985) seems to have many of the attributes of aphantasia and SDAM.…”

“…It must be dated in my past" (Greenberg and Knowlton, 2014). When coupled with projection into one's own future this is the ability that Tulving was one of the first to call "mental time travel", seeing it as a quintessentially human ability (Falk, 2008).…”

A mega-analysis of memory reports from eight peer-reviewed false memory implantation studies

“…In many implantation studies participants are encouraged to create perceptual imagery for the false event. Imagery has long been associated with remembering (Brewer, 1996;Greenberg & Knowlton, 2014;Johnson, Foley, Suengas, & Raye, 1988), and the presence and strength of imagery is an important dimension to consider when examining memory formation.…”

“…In many implantation studies participants are encouraged to create perceptual imagery for the false event. Imagery has long been associated with remembering (Brewer, 1996;Greenberg & Knowlton, 2014;Johnson, Foley, Suengas, & Raye, 1988), and the presence and strength of imagery is an important dimension to consider when examining memory formation.Theories of memory formation that build upon the source monitoring framework (Johnson et al, 1993) posit that some suggestive practices foster the creation of imagery which may subsequently be misattributed to memory (Hyman & Kleinknecht, 1999;.Recent findings support the view that the mental simulation of events recruits overlapping neural networks, regardless of whether those events are attributed to memory, to imagination, or to some other source (Addis, Pan, Vu, Laiser & Schacter, 2009; Schacter, Camberlain, Gaesser, & Gerlach, 2012). However the presence of vivid imagery alone is not indicative of recollection;…”

When I relive a positive me: Vivid autobiographical memories facilitate autonoetic brain activation and enhance mood

“…For reflective awareness, the dorsal mPFC (Esslen et al, 2008), and for more distant reliving through a third person perspective, the precuneus, and temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) (Grol, Vingerhoets, & De Raedt, 2017) are crucial brain regions. Conway, Singer, & Tagini, 2004;Greenberg & Knowlton, 2014;Vannucci, Pelagatti, Chiorri, & Mazzoni, 2016). Conway & Pleydell-Pearce, 2000;M.A.…”