Empirical investigation of visual imagery: An overview

Pages: 541-546
Tushar Singh (Department of Psychology, Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh )
Namita Pande (Department of Psychology, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh )

Mental image refers to any form of mental representation of stimulus that maintains its properties in the absence of that physical stimulation. A mental image resembles perceptual experiences of stimulus but is different from them because, in contrast to perception, the formation of an image does not require the physical presence of the imagined object. Imagery is a mental stimulation that involves long-term memory recall of previously experienced information and combining them into meaningful units. Imagery facilitates recall and plays a significant role in problem solving and creativity. Besides, it augments sensory-motor skills by allowing people to mentally rehearse critical skills and activities.This article reviews some key investigations carried out in this field and ends with some suggestions regarding directions which imagery research might take. This review is neither comprehensive nor does it claims to include all the researches that are being carried out in this area at a relatively rapid pace. Rather, it is intended to present a sample of some significant investigations that have impacted the theory and practice of imagery researches and to provide a direction for further studies in this area.