Abstract
One of the fundamental goals of object recognition research is to understand how a cognitive representation produced from the output of filtered and transformed sensory information facilitates efficient viewer behavior. Given that mental imagery strongly resembles perceptual processes in both cortical regions and subjective visual qualities, it is reasonable to question whether mental imagery facilitates cognition in a manner similar to that of perceptual viewing: via the detection and recognition of distinguishing features. Categorizing the feature content of mental imagery holds potential as a reverse pathway by which to identify the components of a visual stimulus which are most critical for the creation and retrieval of a visual representation. This review will examine the likelihood that the information represented in visual mental imagery reflects distinctive object features thought to facilitate efficient object categorization and recognition during perceptual viewing. If it is the case that these representational features resemble their sensory counterparts in both spatial and semantic qualities, they may well be accessible through mental imagery as evaluated through current investigative techniques. In this review, methods applied to mental imagery research and their findings are reviewed and evaluated for their efficiency in accessing internal representations, and implications for identifying diagnostic features are discussed. An argument is made for the benefits of combining mental imagery assessment methods with diagnostic feature research to advance the understanding of visual perceptive processes, with suggestions for avenues of future investigation.
Highlights
Traditional object recognition research frequently focuses on bottom–up processing of visual stimuli, proceeding from the detection of stimulus properties by the retinal cells to electrical transduction and consummate neural response
still several limitations that must be considered when examining their implications for identifying distinguishing features in object representations
similar to the stimulus set utilized by Behroozi
Summary
Traditional object recognition research frequently focuses on bottom–up processing of visual stimuli, proceeding from the detection of stimulus properties by the retinal cells to electrical transduction and consummate neural response. This vein of research has been successful in identifying physiological and neural pathways involved in the detection and processing of visual object properties leading to cognitive perception. In a recent review, Pearson et al (2015) expounded the very practical implications of mental imagery in mental illness research and treatment, resulting in a call to advance the pursuit of mental imagery as a prime target of psychopathological interventions Discussions such as these illustrate the evolving attitude toward the significance of mental imagery, and emphasize the potential benefits of further exploration into this complex process. By improving the precision with which we identify the visual content of mental imagery, a more complete appreciation of its interactive relationship with visual perception may be achieved, thereby leading to enhanced conclusions regarding the creation of cognitive representations
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