INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN MENTAL-IMAGERY EXPERIENCE - DEVELOPMENTAL-CHANGES AND SPECIALIZATION

This research has two purposes: (1) to study developmental changes and differences in visual and movement imagery in male and female childre n and adults; (2) to investigate whether systematic differences in ima gery vividness can be measured in specialist groups. In Study 1, the V ividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire and the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire were administered to 547 individuals in age gro ups from 7-8 to 50+ years of age. Significant increases in imagery viv idness were found in females at 8-9 and in males at 10-11 years. In ge neral females report more vivid imagery than males but at about 50 fem ales' movement imagery reduced in vividness. In Studies 2-5 imagery di fferences in specialist groups were examined using the same two questi onnaires with a total of 655 participants. In Study 2, children aged 7 -15 years with poor movement control were found to be extremely poor i magers with 42 per cent reporting no imagery at all. In Study 3, physi cal education students reported more vivid imagery than students speci alizing in physics, English, and surveying. In Study 4, significant di fferences were found between elite athletes' imagery and that of match ed controls. In Study 5, air traffic controllers and pilots were found to have significantly more vivid imagery than matched control groups. Introspective reports of imagery experience show a systematic pattern of relationships with age, gender, and specialization requiring high- level performance of perceptual motor skills. These findings support t he theory that mental imagery plays a key role in the planning and imp lementation of action.