Power of Mental Imagery | Page 4

such as a train which passes every
morning while we are at breakfast. Again, in a football game I
distinctly hear the noise, but do not see clearly anything or anybody. I
hear the stillness when everyone is intent and then the loud cheering.
Here I notice the differences of pitch and tone.'
"I had read that some people were unable to imagine sounds which they
had heard, but it had not impressed me, for I had supposed that such
persons were great exceptions. I was truly surprised when I found so
many of my students writing papers similar to those from which
extracts are here given: 'My mental imagery is visual, as I seem to see
things and not hear, feel or smell them. The element of sound seems
practically never to enter in. When I think of a breakfast-table or a
football game I have a distinct image. I see colors, but hear no sound.'
[Illustration: A feature in the making of Anderson's Cocoa
The manner in which thousands of pounds of Cocoa beans are daily
roasted
Anderson & Co. N.Y.
THIS ADVERTISEMENT AWAKENS THE WRONG KIND OF
MENTAL IMAGES. SEE TEXT, PAGE 34]
"Another in describing his image of a railroad-train, writes: 'I am not
able to state whether I hear the train or not. I am inclined to think that it
is a noiseless one. It is hard for me to conceive of the sound of a bell,
for instance. I can see the bell move to and fro, and for an instant seem
to hear the ding, dong; but it is gone before I can identify it. When I try
to conceive of shouts I am like one groping in the dark. I cannot
possibly retain the conception of a sound for any length of time.'
"Another, who seems to have no vivid images of any kind, writes:

'When I recall the breakfast-table I see it and the persons around it. The
number of them is distinct, for there is only one of them on each side of
the table. But they seem like mere objects in space. Only when I think
of each separately do I clearly see them. As for the table, all I see is a
general whiteness, interspersed with objects. I hear nothing at all, and
indeed the whole thing is so indistinct it bewilders me when I think of it.
My mental imagery is very vague and hazy, unless I have previously
taken special notice of what I now have an image of. For instance,
when I have an image of a certain person I cannot tell his particular
characteristics unless my attention was formerly directed to them.'
"Another writes: 'There is no sound in connection with any image. In
remembering, I call up an incident and gradually fill out the details. I
can very seldom recall how anything sounds. One sound from the play
"Robespierre," by Henry Irving, which I heard about two years ago and
which I could recall some time afterward, I have been unable to recall
this fall, though I have tried to do so. I can see the scene quite perfectly,
the position of the actors and stage setting, even the action of a player
who brought out the sound.'
"Quite a large proportion of persons find it impossible to imagine
motion at all. As they think of a football game, all the players are
standing stock-still; they are as they are represented in a photograph.
They are in the act of running, but no motion is represented. Likewise,
the banners and streamers are all motionless. They find it impossible to
think of such a thing as motion. Others find that the motions are the
most vivid part of their images. What they remember of a scene is
principally movement.
"One writes: 'When the word "breakfast-table" was given out I saw our
breakfast-table at home, especially the table and the white tablecloth.
The cloth seemed to be the most distinct object. I can see each one in
his place at the table. I can see no color except that of the tablecloth.
The dishes are there, but are very indistinct. I cannot hear the rattle of
the dishes or the voices very distinctly; the voices seem much louder
than the dishes, but neither are very clear. I can feel the motions which
I make during the breakfast hour. I feel myself come in, sit down and

begin to eat. I can see the motions of those about me quite plainly. I
believe the feeling of motion was the most distinct feeling I had. When
the word "railroad-train" was given I saw the train very plainly just
stopping in front of the depot. I saw the people getting on the train;
these people were very indistinct. It is