The Physiological Measurement of Imagery: An Overview

Abstract

A substantial body of research indicates that physiological responses during imagery vary as a function of the nature of the image. A review of this research isolates a number of parameters that influence the magnitude of physiological changes during imaging and clearly demonstrates that images of different affective or emotional experiences are accompanied by different patterns of physiological responses. Physiological measures of imagery thus provide a powerful means of increasing our knowledge and understanding of imaginal processes. It is important, though, that imagery research does not rely exclusively upon physiological measures, for to do so fails to pay sufficient heed to the covert nature of imaging.