Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire

Recent studies have found that individual differences in VVIQ scores can be used to predict changes in a person's brain while visualizing different activities. Unlike associations between cognitive or perceptual performance measures and VVIQ scores, demand characteristics and social desirability effects can be eliminated as possible explanations of any observed differences between vivid and non-vivid images.

Recent studies have found that individual differences in VVIQ scores can be used to predict changes in a person's brain while visualizing different activities. Unlike associations between cognitive or perceptual performance measures and VVIQ scores, demand characteristics and social desirability effects can be eliminated as possible explanations of any observed differences between vivid and non-vivid images.

Marks and Issac (1995) mapped electroencephalographic (EEG) activity topographically during visual and [[motor imagery]] in vivid and non-vivid imagers. Topographical maps of EEG activation revealed attenuation of alpha power in vivid images during visual imagery, particularly in the left posterior quadrant of the cortex, but enhanced alpha power during motor imagery.

Marks and Issac (1995) mapped electroencephalographic (EEG) activity topographically during visual and [[motor imagery]] in vivid and non-vivid imagers. Topographical maps of EEG activation revealed attenuation of alpha power in vivid images during visual imagery, particularly in the left posterior quadrant of the cortex, but enhanced alpha power during motor imagery.{{cite journal |last1=Marks |first1=David |last2=Isaac |first2=Anne |title=Topographical distribution of EEG activity accompanying visual and motor imagery in vivid and non-vivid imagers |journal=British Journal of Psychology |date=May 1995 |volume=86 |issue=2 |pages=271-82 |doi=10.1111/j.2044-8295.1995.tb02561.x |url=https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2044-8295.1995.tb02561.x |access-date=22 April 2026}}

Amedi, Malach and Pascual-Leone (2005) predicted that VVIQ scores might be correlated with the degree of deactivation of the auditory cortex in individual subjects in [[functional magnetic resonance imaging]] (fMRI). These investigators found a significant positive correlation between the magnitude of A1 deactivation (negative blood-oxygen-level-dependent -BOLD- signal in auditory cortex) and the subjective vividness of visual imagery (Spearman r = 0.73, p < 0.05). In a related study, Xu Cui, Cameron Jeter, Dongni Yang, Read Montague and [[David Eagleman]] (2007) also observed that reported vividness is correlated with an objective measure of brain activity: the early visual cortex activity relative to the whole brain activity measured by fMRI. These results show that individual differences in the visual imagery vividness are quantifiable even in the absence of subjective report.

Amedi, Malach and Pascual-Leone (2005) predicted that VVIQ scores might be correlated with the degree of deactivation of the auditory cortex in individual subjects in [[functional magnetic resonance imaging]] (fMRI). These investigators found a significant positive correlation between the magnitude of A1 deactivation (negative blood-oxygen-level-dependent -BOLD- signal in auditory cortex) and the subjective vividness of visual imagery (Spearman r = 0.73, p < 0.05). In a related study, Xu Cui, Cameron Jeter, Dongni Yang, Read Montague and [[David Eagleman]] (2007) also observed that reported vividness is correlated with an objective measure of brain activity: the early visual cortex activity relative to the whole brain activity measured by fMRI. These results show that individual differences in the visual imagery vividness are quantifiable even in the absence of subjective report.