The Visuospatial Dimension of Writing

Abstract

The authors suggest that writing should be conceived of not only as a verbal activity but also as a visuospatial activity, in which writers process and construct visuospatial mental representations. After briefly describing research on visuospatial cognition, they look at how cognitive researchers have investigated the visuospatial dimension of the mental representations and processes engaged in writing. First, they show how Hayes's research integrated the visuospatial dimension of writing. Second, they describe how the written trace can serve as a visual resource. Third, they focus on the visuospatial processes involved in constructing an overall representation of the text and its physical layout. Finally, they review findings on the visuospatial demands that planning places on working memory. All the data and theories presented in this article support the idea that writing is indeed a visuospatial activity. Keywords writing, visual and spatial processes, text representation, planning, working memory No one would argue with the fact that writing a text is a linguistic activity: Writers must turn their communicative intentions into clear, organized, and coherent language. However, this linguistic dimension should not be allowed to overshadow the fact that composing a text is also a visuospatial activity.

Electronic outlining as a writing strategy: Effects on students' writing products, mental effort and writing process

“…Electronic outlining as a preplanning strategy might above all influence the first part of the writing process. Therefore, the temporal organisation of writing activities was taken into account to analyse the writing process in a more sensitive way (Breetvelt et al, 1994;Olive, Kellogg, & Piolat, 2008).…”

Cognitive and spectral coherence of EEG alterations in resting state in children with chronic TBI

“…It is possible that after a TBI children may present difficulties to establish spatia l relationships involving these skills, as observed in the results. These spatial skills are crucial for the further development of complex systems such as reading (Giovagnoli, Vicari, Tomassetti, & Menghini, 2016;Vidyasagar & Pammer, 2010), writing (Carlson, Rowe, & Curby, 2013;Olive & Passerault, 2012), and mathematics (Lonnemann, Krinzinger, Knops, & Willmes, 2008;Wood & Fischer, 2008), as well as instrumental activities of daily life such as making trips in a city, reading maps and navigation systems (GPS), or understanding manuals to assemble furniture or appliances (Gonzato & Godino, 2010).…”

Engineering English : a multimodal case study of one Engineering and two EAP textbooks

“…The presence of visuals and multimodal ensembles affects the way a textbook page looks, a significant point when taken in consideration with Olive and Passerault's (2012) visuospatial rep resentations. While this present study did not explicitly examine layout or page design, the inte gration of modes and the placement of visuals in Hibbeler points to highly specific uses of page space.…”

“…A different perspective on the visual and multimodal is brought forward by Olive and Passerault (2012), from the field o f cognitive psychology. Citing a range o f studies and theoreti cal articles, the authors suggest that reading and writing should be considered visuospatial activi ties, activities guided by the eye and graphic traces on the page.…”

“…This visuospatial dimension is also engaged in the construction of mental representations of text during the reading and writing processes. Olive and Passerault (2012) cite additional studies that suggest these mental represen tations may be "multidimensional" (p. 334), integrating semantic, verbal, and visuospatial con tent within an episodic memory format. Furthermore, concrete and abstract content may be proc essed differently.…”