A new theory of visuo-spatial mental imagery J F Sima |
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Cognitive Systems, University of Bremen, Germany
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| A new theory of visuo-spatial mental imagery and a computational model instantiating it are presented. The new theory is best understood as a fleshed-out and modified version of the enactive theory of mental imagery (Thomas, Cogn Sci 23: 207-245, 1999). The theory is compared to other contemporary theories of mental imagery and evaluated against a set of critical imagery phenomena. These phenomena cover the general findings that mental imagery shows similarities to visual perception (e.g. mental scanning), yet, also shows striking differences to visual perception (e.g. mental reinterpretation). The apparent embodied nature of mental imagery (e.g. (functional) eye movements) is considered as well as the complex role of attentional processes in both mental imagery and visual perception (e.g. visual and imaginal unilateral neglect). It is argued that the new theory and its model are able to provide explanations of these phenomena that partly go beyond the explanations offered by the contemporary theories. |
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