1. Mental Imagery & Cognitive Maps Dr. Claudia J. Stanny EXP 4507 Memory & Cognition Spring 2009

2. Overview Role of images in long-term retention Representation of images in long-term memory Characteristics of mental images Cognitive maps Claudia J. Stanny2

3. How are images used for long-term retention? Dual Coding Hypothesis (Paivio) Imagery Code Verbal Code Relevant evidence: Memory for abstract and concrete words Time required to encode in each system Effects of speed of presentation on code used RABBIT 3Claudia J. Stanny

4. Use of imagery in mnemonic systems Method of loci Keyword technique Pegword technique Claudia J. Stanny4

5. Why does Imagery Improve Memory? Images produce a larger number of associations between encoded items Interacting images produce more links & more reliable links than separate images 5Claudia J. Stanny

6. How are images related to perception? Analog code Proposes that images are closely related to perception and perceptual processes Images are analogous to our perception of physical objects Propositional code Proposes that images are closely related to language and language-like abstract coding Abstract representations with no physical resemblance to the objects stored Claudia J. Stanny6

7. Evidence relating images and perceptual processes Mental rotation Representation of physical distances Representation of shape Interpretation and memory for ambiguous figures Modality-specific interference Claudia J. Stanny7

8. Mental rotation of letters Claudia J. Stanny8

9. Mental Rotation (Shepard & Metzler, 1971) 9Claudia J. Stanny

10. Scanning Mental Images Kosslyn (1978) Mental Travel Effects of distance Effects of complexity 10Claudia J. Stanny

11. Estimating angles based on clock time (Paivio, 1978) Create an image of a clock face based on two times Are the angles formed the same or different? Must rotate the image of the angle to align and compare Examples Claudia J. Stanny11

12. Properties of Images Time to create images Effects of size of image Effects of verbal interpretation Demonstration: Are images analog or propositional? 12Claudia J. Stanny

13. Imagine an Elephant that Completely Fills Each of these Squares

14. Are images coded differently than other memories ? Problems with demand characteristics of imagery tasks Experimenter expectancy effects Propositional versus Analog Codes as the basis for imagery Differences between pictures in the world and images in memory Role of inferences in images: the case for propositional codes 14Claudia J. Stanny

15. Cognitive Maps Are maps mental images (pictures) or are they more abstract representations? Relevant evidence: Effects of heuristic processes on mental maps 90⁰ angle heuristic Alignment heuristic Rotation heuristic Claudia J. Stanny15

16. Rotation Heuristic Is San Francisco, California east or west of Reno, Nevada? Is San Francisco, California north or south of Reno, Nevada? 16Claudia J. Stanny

17. Influence of verbal processing and other knowledge on cognitive maps Interpretation of regularization errors Creation of maps from verbal descriptions Influence of non-visual and non-spatial knowledge on cognitive maps Numbers of cities represented on a road Landmark effects travel to a landmark seems shorter than travel from the landmark to another location Claudia J. Stanny17