“Imageless” Spatial and Temporal Rules Can Be Tested and Refined by Constructing Vivid Visual and Auditory Images

In this computerized study, research participants completed both Marks' (1973) Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire and Kunzendorf's (1979) Vividness of Auditory Imagery Questionnaire and, immediately thereafter, completed either a visuo-spatial rule-development exercise or an audio-temporal rule-development exercise. During the visuo-spatial exercise, participants were administered 20 four-alternative quizzes regarding the schematic rules of 3-point perspective (3PP) and, between quizzes, were instructed to figure out the rules by constructing visual images that serve to test their developing schema. During the audio-temporal exercise, participants were administered 24 two-alternative quizzes regarding artificial grammatical rules and, between quizzes, were instructed to figure out the rules by generating auditory images that serve to test their developing grammar. Across 83 participants in the visuo-spatial rule-development exercise, greater development of 3PP rules correlated significantly with greater vividness of visual imagery, but not auditory imagery. Conversely, across 94 participants in the audio-temporal rule-development exercise, greater development of grammatical rules correlated significantly with greater vividness of auditory imagery, but not visual imagery. In the historical context of null correlations between image vividness and problem-solving success, the current correlational findings provide modality-specific support for Kunzendorf and Reynold's (2004-2005) and Kunzendorf and Buker's (2008-2009) thesis that the vivid imager's construction of sensory images from imageless rules facilitates the testing and refinement of newly hypothesized rules, but does not facilitate the application of previously developed rules to new problems.