Measureable Dimensions of Visual Mental Imagery and Their Relationship With Listening Comprehension: Evidence From Forensic Arts and Latent Class Analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the dimensions of visual mental imagery (VMI) in aural discourse comprehension. We introduce a new approach to inspect VMIs which integrates forensic arts and latent class analysis. Thirty participants listened to three descriptive oral excerpts and then verbalized what they had seen in their mind’s eye. The verbalized descriptions were simultaneously illustrated by two trained artists using the Adobe Photoshop® and the digital drawing tablets with electromagnetic induction technology, generating approximations of the VMIs. Next, a code sheet was developed to examine the illustrated VMIs on 16 dimensions. Latent class analysis identified three classes of VMI imaginers with nine discriminating dimensions: clarity, completeness of figures, details, shape crowdedness, shape-added features, texture, space, time and motion, and flamboyance. The classes were further differentiated based on the significant differences in their listening abilities. An individual lacking the ability to imagine (a condition called Aphantasia) and some evidence that VMIs in listening are both symbolic and depictive were also found.