Subjective and objective assessment methods of mental imagery control: construct validation of self-report measures

A study was conducted to examine the relationship between subjective and objective measures of mental imagery control. Eighty college undergraduates completed a battery of imagery tests and self-report measures to examine whether questionnaires that purport to measure imagery control or dynamic imagery ability (imagery of movement) would show a stronger relationship with objective measures of mental manipulation than would subjective measures that tap vividness of static imagery. Neither subjective measures of movement imagery nor subjective measures of stationary imagery showed meaningful relationships with objective measures of visuospatial manipulation. Additionally, subjective and objective imagery measures generally tended to dissociate. Basic component skills thought to be involved in mental manipulation, however, showed a much stronger relationship with the objective imagery tasks than did the self-report questionnaires. Findings suggest that subjective measures of imagery control do not tap the same cognitive processes involved in objective tests that require accurate imagery manipulation.