title: How Visuo-Spatial Mental Imagery Develops: Image Generation and Maintenance.
abstract: Two experiments examined the nature of visuo-spatial mental imagery generation and maintenance in 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-year old children and adults (N = 211). The key questions were how image generation and maintenance develop (Experiment 1) and how accurately children and adults coordinate mental and visually perceived images (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 indicated that basic image generation and maintenance abilities are present at 4 years of age but the precision with which images are generated and maintained improves particularly between 4 and 8 years. In addition to increased precision, Experiment 2 demonstrated that generated and maintained mental images become increasingly similar to visually perceived objects. Altogether, findings suggest that for simple tasks demanding image generation and maintenance, children attain adult-like precision younger than previously reported. This research also sheds new light on the ability to coordinate mental images with visual images in children and adults.
authors.affiliation: University of Plymouth, School of Psychology, Cognition Centre, Plymouth, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Marina C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wimmer
authors.affiliation: University of Bath, Department of Psychology, Claverton Down, Bath, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Katie L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Maras
authors.affiliation: University of Warwick, Department of Psychology, Coventry, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: University of East Anglia, School of Psychology, Norwich, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.affiliation: University of Surrey, Centre of Vision, Speech and Signal Processing, Guildford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pugeault
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*