galton.org 255
Questions on Visualising, etc.
255
E.—QUESTIONS ON VISUALISING AND OTHER ALLIED
FACULTIES.
The Questions that I circulated were as follows; there was an earlier and uncomplete
form, which I need not reproduce here.
The object of these Questions is to elicit the degree in which different persons possess
the power of seeing images in their mind’s eye, and of reviving past sensations.
From inquiries I have already made, it appears that remarkable variations exist both in
the strength and in the quality of these faculties, and it is highly probable that a statistical
inquiry into them will throw light upon more than one psychological problem.
Before addressing yourself to any of the Questions on the opposite page, think of some
definite object—suppose it is your breakfast-table as you sat down to it this morning —
and consider carefully the picture that rises before your mind’s eye.
1. Illumination. —Is the image dim or fairly clear? Is its brightness comparable to that
of the actual scene?
2.
Definition.—Are all the objects pretty well defined at the same time, or is the place
of sharpest definition at any one moment more contracted than it is in a real scene?
3. Colouring.—Are
the colours of the china, of the toast, bread crust, mustard, meat,
parsley, or whatever may have been on the table, quite distinct and natural?
4.
Extent of field of view.—Call
up the image of some panoramic view (the walls of
your room might suffice), can you force yourself to see mentally a wider range of it than
could be taken in by any single glance of the eyes? Can you mentally see more than three
faces of a die, or more than one hemisphere of a globe at the same instant of time?
5.
Distance of images.—Where
do mental images appear to be situated?
Within the
head, within the eye-ball, just in front of the eyes, or at a distance corresponding to reality?
Can you project an image upon a piece of paper?
6. Command over images.—Can you retain a mental picture steadily before the eyes?
When you do so, does it grow brighter or dimmer? When the act of retaining it becomes
wearisome, in what part of the head or eye-ball is the fatigue felt?
7.
Persons.—Can
you recall with distinctness the features of all near relations and
many other persons? Can you at will cause your mental image of any or most of them to
sit, stand, or turn slowly round? Can you deliberately seat the image of a well-known
person in a chair and see it with enough distinctness to enable you to sketch it leisurely
(supposing yourself able to draw)?
