How Visuo-Spatial Mental Imagery Develops: Image Generation and Maintenance |
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| Authors: | Marina C Wimmer Katie L Maras Elizabeth J Robinson Martin J Doherty Nicolas Pugeault |
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| Institution: | 1. University of Plymouth, School of Psychology, Cognition Centre, Plymouth, United Kingdom.; 2. University of Bath, Department of Psychology, Claverton Down, Bath, United Kingdom.; 3. University of Warwick, Department of Psychology, Coventry, United Kingdom.; 4. University of East Anglia, School of Psychology, Norwich, United Kingdom.; 5. University of Surrey, Centre of Vision, Speech and Signal Processing, Guildford, United Kingdom.; Catholic University of Sacro Cuore, ITALY, |
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| Abstract: | Two experiments examined the nature of visuo-spatial mental imagery generation and maintenance in 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-year old children and adults (N = 211). The key questions were how image generation and maintenance develop (Experiment 1) and how accurately children and adults coordinate mental and visually perceived images (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 indicated that basic image generation and maintenance abilities are present at 4 years of age but the precision with which images are generated and maintained improves particularly between 4 and 8 years. In addition to increased precision, Experiment 2 demonstrated that generated and maintained mental images become increasingly similar to visually perceived objects. Altogether, findings suggest that for simple tasks demanding image generation and maintenance, children attain adult-like precision younger than previously reported. This research also sheds new light on the ability to coordinate mental images with visual images in children and adults. |
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