Is visual imagery ability higher for orthodontic students than those in other disciplines? A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect visual imagery may have on career choice among current university students across a range of subjects and disciplines. Setting: University College London (UCL), UK. Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Participants: The study compared four main groups of UCL students: current students at the Slade School of Fine Art; UCL Eastman Dental Institute; UCL Bartlett School of Architecture; and the Faculty of Laws. Method: A questionnaire based on the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) was distributed along with questions regarding demographic information. Results: There were no significant differences between the VVIQ scores across the four included Schools/Faculty: The Slade School of Fine Art; UCL Bartlett School of Architecture; Faculty of Laws; and UCL Eastman Dental Institute, F(3,219) = 2.160, P = 0.094. There were also no significant differences in the scores for the Eastman ( M = 60.21, SD = 13.58) and the three other Schools/Faculty ( M = 62.87, SD = 10.96); t(–1.317) = 221, P = 0.189, and no significant difference in the scores for the Orthodontic students ( M = 60.80, SD = 13.39) and the remaining other included students ( M = 61.44, SD = 9.68); t(–0.232) = 221, P = 0.817. Aphantasia was uncommon in this sample, with a prevalence of 0.9%. A positive correlation was found between age group and total VVIQ score, with older participants scoring higher on the VVIQ. Women were significantly more likely to say that their ability to visualise had affected their career choice than male respondents. Conclusions: There were no significant differences between the VVIQ scores across the four included Schools/Faculty. Visual imagery ability did not differ in dental or orthodontic students in comparison to other student groups. Further work is needed to replicate these findings in more diverse samples.