Imagery and learning - A further study

Abstract

The research was a continuation of a study on the relation of non-verbal imagery to learning, with special reference to the use of visual images in the learning process. The new enquiry was planned to study the relation of the non-verbal imagery to learning when the material used was sense material as opposed to nonsense material. The subjects, 6 adults and 4 children were required to learn series of 5 variants of the same shape associated with a nonsense name and of 5 examples of the same type of object associated with a sense name. The learning of each series was tested by immediate recalls of the material on each learning occasion, and by general tests, one at the end of the learning periods and a second five weeks later. Findings 1. Words and especially analogy played the greatest part in recall. 2. Concepts were important factors in learning. 3. The amount of visual imagery reported was meagre. 4. The children, In proportion to the number of correct recalls, reported more visual imagery than the adults. Their imagery tended to be of whole objects, and in some cases was of the eidetic type. 5. The main cause of failure to recall was confusion either between the members of the same set or between the sets. CONCLUSION. For recall of Individual items from visual data which fall into classes visual photographic imagery is of less value than concepts, analogy, verbal description and other forms of words. This is independent of whether the individual items are what is called sense or nonsense material.