Mental Imagery Abilities in the Blind

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the study by M. Knauff and E. May entitled "Mental Imagery, Reasoning and Blindness", which presents evidence that is relevant to the study of mental imagery in congenitally blind individuals. The paper also examines the study by A. Vanlierde and M.C. Wanet-Defalque entitled "The Role of Visual Experience in Mental Imagery", which examines the impact of visual experience on mental imagery formation. Additionally, the paper looks at a study by S. Lambert and colleagues entitled "Blindness and Brain Plasticity: Contribution of Mental Imagery?", which is concerned with the responses of the brain, particularly the primary visual area (PVA) in blind individuals during participation in mental imagery. The paper concludes that it appears that visual imagery does not occur in those blinded early in life but only in those who are blinded later in life.

Outline:
Visual Imagery and Interference
The Role of Visual Experience in Mental Imagery
Blindness and Brain Plasticity
Summary and Conclusions

From the Paper:

"The study by Knauff and May (2006) focused predominantly on the interference which visual imagery may exert on reasoning ability. It does however also present evidence which is relevant to the study of mental imagery in congenitally blind individuals.
"The study cites several previous studies which have shown that there are differences in the use of visual images in sighted people and those who are congenitally blind. It has also been shown through these studies that the use of spatial reconstruction is not significantly different between the two groups. It is this information which was used as the basis for the experimental design which the study used. The hypothesis is also based upon this information, along with the information from previous studies which have shown that visual imagery interferes with reasoning where spatial imagery does not."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Knauff, M. and May, E. (2006) Mental Imagery, Reasoning and Blindness. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 59(1), 161-177.
• Lambert, S., Sampaio, E., Mauss, Y. and Scheiber, C. (2004) Blindness and Brain Plasticity: Contribution of mental imagery? An fMRI study. Cognitive Brain Research, 21(1), 1-11.
• Vanlierde, A. and Wanet-Defalque, M.-C. (2005) The Role of Visual Experience in Mental Imagery. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, March 2005, 165-178.

More papers on Mental Imagery Abilities in the Blind:

• Comparison Essay # 102404 : "Mental Ill-Health in the Works of Browning and Gilman"
• Term Paper # 120100 : "Mental Imagery"
• Research Paper # 98395 : "Mental Imagery"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: