Wet Mind

Stephen Kosslyn

Part of Stephen Kosslyn’s Wet Mind “explore[s] the nature of visual cognition, which is the use of visual mental imagery in thinking.” He specifically looks at “using imagery to access stored information”, “reasoning using imagery”, “using imagery to learn skills”, and “using imagery to comprehend language.” Using imagery for both reasoning and the learning of skills is especially pertinent to my project.

When looking at “reasoning using imagery” Kosslyn talks about how this is “accomplished by first looking up a description of the object in associative memory, and then using the code corresponding to the object to activate the appropriate visual memory of the object.” This is particularly helpful when thinking about how to provide a partner information to more effectively communicate with their partner. If I am able to both provide both helpful information and some sort of description on how that information could be used so that an individual could create their own visual of just how to employ that information, that partner will then be able to effectively use that information.

In terms of “using imagery to learn skills” the “same representations in the parietal lobe are used to direct actual actions and imagined actions, and so refining these representations in imagery will transfer to actual movements.” One possible way to achieve this is through the creation of simulations. By putting individuals in situations that they have been in or will be in, they will hopefully be able to learn about how to act that specific situation. It might be useful to see the difference of effectiveness between a simulation of a couples own conversation and a simulation of another couple’s conversation.