Power of Mental Imagery: Being the Fifth of a Series of Twelve Volumes on the; Applications of Psychology to the Problems of Personal and; Business Efficiency — John Shaqi
Power of Mental Imagery: Being the Fifth of a Series of Twelve Volumes on the; Applications of Psychology to the Problems of Personal and; Business EfficiencyHilton, Warren
Science
Power of Mental Imagery: Being the Fifth of a Series of Twelve Volumes on the; Applications of Psychology to the Problems of Personal and; Business Efficiency
Hilton, Warren
Imagery (Psychology); Psychology, Applied
"My ability to form mental images seems, from what I have studied
of other people's images, to be defective, and somewhat peculiar.
The process by which I seem to remember any particular event is
not by a series of distinct images, but a sort of panorama, the
faintest impressions of which are perceptible through a thick
fog--I cannot shut my eyes and get a distinct image of anyone,
although I used to be able to a few years ago, and the faculty
seems to have gradually slipped away. * * * In my most vivid
dreams, where the events appear like the most real facts, I am
often troubled with a dimness of sight which causes the images to
appear indistinct. * * * To come to the question of the
breakfast-table, there is nothing definite about it. Everything
is vague. I cannot say what I see. I could not possibly count the
chairs, but I happen to know that there are ten. I see nothing in
detail. * * * The chief thing is a general impression that I
cannot tell exactly what I do see. The coloring is about the
same, as far as I can recall it, only very much washed out.
Perhaps the only color I can see at all distinctly is that of the
tablecloth, and I could probably see the color of the wall paper
if I could remember what color it was."
This difference between individuals is just as marked in the
matter of ability to form _auditory_ images as in respect to
_visual_ images.
[Sidenote: _Investigations of Professor Scott_]
Thus, Professor Walter Dill Scott, of Northwestern University,
cites the following:
"One student who has strong auditory imagery writes as follows:
'When I think of the breakfast-table I do not seem to have a
clear visual image of it. I can see the length of it, the three
chairs--though I can't tell the color or shape of these--the
white cloth and something on it, but I can't see the pattern of
the dishes or any of the food. I can very plainly hear the rattle
of the dishes and of the silver and above this hear the
conversation, also the other noises, such as a train which passes
every morning while we are at breakfast. Again, in a football
game I distinctly hear the noise, but do not see clearly
anything or anybody. I hear the stillness when everyone is intent
and then the loud cheering. Here I notice the differences of
pitch and tone.'
"I had read that some people were unable to imagine sounds which
they had heard, but it had not impressed me, for I had supposed
that such persons were great exceptions. I was truly surprised
when I found so many of my students writing papers similar to
those from which extracts are here given: 'My mental imagery is
visual, as I seem to see things and not hear, feel or smell them.
The element of sound seems practically never to enter in. When I
think of a breakfast-table or a football game I have a distinct
image. I see colors, but hear no sound.'
[Illustration: A feature in the making of Anderson's Cocoa
The manner in which thousands of pounds of Cocoa beans are daily
roasted
Anderson & Co. N.Y.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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