01-10-2016, 10:55 PM (This post was last modified: 01-10-2016, 11:04 PM by otto.)
I read this blog post after doing a search for "mental rotation". Mental rotation is the ability to turn objects or environments around in your mind in a visualized process.
The article and the blog post bring up the phenomenon and how researchers are looking into whether it has validity as a problem solving tool or is perhaps meaningless to the solving of spacial problems, maybe correlated to the process but not necessary or helpful to any outcome.
There is a lot to talk about in the referenced study of a subject, a man that professes no ability to conjure mental images but, when tested against those with mental rotation ability, proves faster at solving spacial problems correctly. So what purpose does mental rotation serve? I don't believe the researchers are providing any hypotheses.
I have a theory about mental rotation and "imagination blindness" as Dave coined it, but would like to get some other opinions and reactions to this article first.
The responses on the blog page are fascinating and worth reading. Folks came out of the woodwork claiming that they too have no ability to visualize. I also noted that some of them claimed anxiety disorders which lines up with Bates claim that imagination and memory were linked to relaxed states of mind. (Quite obvious to many on this forum and in the world at large.)
I would love to see an online, one-year-long survey of "random", interested people asking about their powers of visualization, rating it perhaps in various ways, as well as questioning them about anxiety levels, conditions, treatments received, and also asking if they need eyesight prescriptions. If we could get hundreds of submissions, this could be a fascinating study and could suggest many new avenues for study and research in vision and the visual process. It may even provide some convincing data to hardline skeptics, data that backs up some of Bates' theories.
I know this is a lot for one thread but I'd love to get a discourse going.
P.S. - Maybe we could start with a poll on the forum. Take a second to answer my impromptu poll!
(01-10-2016, 10:55 PM)otto Wrote: I read this blog post after doing a search for "mental rotation". Mental rotation is the ability to turn objects or environments around in your mind in a visualized process.
The article and the blog post bring up the phenomenon and how researchers are looking into whether it has validity as a problem solving tool or is perhaps meaningless to the solving of spacial problems, maybe correlated to the process but not necessary or helpful to any outcome.
There is a lot to talk about in the referenced study of a subject, a man that professes no ability to conjure mental images but, when tested against those with mental rotation ability, proves faster at solving spacial problems correctly. So what purpose does mental rotation serve? I don't believe the researchers are providing any hypotheses.
I have a theory about mental rotation and "imagination blindness" as Dave coined it, but would like to get some other opinions and reactions to this article first.
The responses on the blog page are fascinating and worth reading. Folks came out of the woodwork claiming that they too have no ability to visualize. I also noted that some of them claimed anxiety disorders which lines up with Bates claim that imagination and memory were linked to relaxed states of mind. (Quite obvious to many on this forum and in the world at large.)
I would love to see an online, one-year-long survey of "random", interested people asking about their powers of visualization, rating it perhaps in various ways, as well as questioning them about anxiety levels, conditions, treatments received, and also asking if they need eyesight prescriptions. If we could get hundreds of submissions, this could be a fascinating study and could suggest many new avenues for study and research in vision and the visual process. It may even provide some convincing data to hardline skeptics, data that backs up some of Bates' theories.
I know this is a lot for one thread but I'd love to get a discourse going.
P.S. - Maybe we could start with a poll on the forum. Take a second to answer my impromptu poll!
As is usual with standardized tests for me, I want to check every box except the final one, so I didn't answer the quiz. Since I have such frequent vivid detailed dreams, I've always thought my visualization ability was strong. When my eyes are open, I can easily imagine pictures different than what I'm looking at in the outside world, as long as I'm relaxed. I've had limited success in translating this to clearer vision, probably because I'm in that trying mindset.
01-11-2016, 11:51 AM (This post was last modified: 01-11-2016, 11:53 AM by otto.)
Nancy, I'm not about to start training myself in mental rotation. I'm think I would have the same barrier you have - too much effort, strain. I think this article interests me mostly because of the implications and questions it brings up, and the possibility of learning more about how vision and imagination are connected, which clearly they are. It's fascinating too that some scientists believe visualization is not a useful tool in discerning spacial relationships.
For the sake of full disclosure, I claim option #3, and have answered the poll first. I don't know what can really be gained by the poll, I just thought it would be interesting. Of course my visualization varies but I think #3 best describes it most of the time.
I picked option 3. Sometimes right before I fall asleep, I start to hear voices; weird voices, and really weird images start to form in my mind's eye. When I palm, I occasionally get some random mental pictures as well. The subconscious mind is really weird
01-13-2016, 01:38 PM (This post was last modified: 01-13-2016, 01:56 PM by otto.)
It's my suspicion that mental imaging is a fundamental process in memory, imagination and problem solving. It is a program that is deeply connected to the subconscious and runs in our minds even if we are not consciously aware of it. In fact, if we are prone to straining and forcing these images or somehow cut off from them they get screened from the conscious mind. This is all conjecture of course.
This is how the subject in the study solved the spacial tests while thinking they had no visualization.
David, might I have inspired your clear flash survey with my half-assed poll? I'd love to see more surveys and data collection here. You might be the only one that can drive enough traffic to a survey to have it be worthwhile. Sad that there isn't greater traffic on this forum in general. Isn't this one of the most popular nvi forums? How can we direct more folks over here? Okay, I've rambled enough!
01-13-2016, 03:53 PM (This post was last modified: 01-13-2016, 08:43 PM by Yelaina.)
-8.75 -10.00, I can do all that with glasses, and I can also do it without glasses.
I have clear Mental Rotation.
I do not have a continuous movie when I read fiction. I can imagine, or I can just work with words and letters.
I can remember friends and acquaintances faces. (imo i think my fusiform gyrus works.)
I don't remember their names and faces if I am not interested in knowing them.
Yes, When I close my eyes and relax I start to get some distinct images that are not necessarily related to what I'm thinking about. Depends, because they happen so fast, you don't have time to look: Sometimes I get a blurry, fleeting image.They (images) can switch themes really fast.(If I try to look at them longer and imagine more onto them, they (image) might go away and I see another image.
I have visual imagination.
imo there are 2 types of imagination, the controlled kind, like in mental rotation, solving math problems geometrically...; then there is the imagination that is spontaneous like when you dream; but it loses the spontaneous status the moment you start to control your dream if you become aware that you are dreaming, then you wake up.
01-13-2016, 05:52 PM (This post was last modified: 01-13-2016, 05:55 PM by otto.)
Yelaina,
Sounds like you have a strong visual imagination. Can you take a second to hit the 1st option in the poll? Also, do you mind sharing what sort of baseline acuity you have? I'm curious about correlations but couldn't make a two part survey.
(01-16-2016, 01:25 PM)Yelaina Wrote: What correlations are you looking for Otto?
I edited my last post, does that help?
Thanks, Yelaina!
I was guessing there wouldn't be too many people that can do mental rotation or that have other vivid visualizations that need strong prescriptions. You're an example of someone with a great imagination but whose vision does not seem to be aided by it. Surprising! I wonder if you are an outlier or if there is no correlation.
I bet your abilities will become an asset in your vision improvement sooner or later!
I would suggest experimenting to see how to be using your best imagination while looking at something that appears blurry. What does it take to make it clear? Or better, what are you doing to make it not clear?
Maybe while palming notice how your eyes feel when having deeply vivid visualization. See if you can open your eyes and retain that feeling.
Do you know how to blink?
