Trial-by-Trial Vividness Self-Reports Versus VVIQ

Abstract

The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) globally defines an individual according to their propensity to form visual mental imagery. A less frequently used approach to the study of mental imagery is based on self-reports on a trial-by-trial basis. The current meta-analysis consisted of three tests designed to compare the VVIQ and trial-by-trial vividness ratings against more objective criteria to address the predictive validity of these different measure instruments. Test 1 was based on a convenient sample and the calculation of effect sizes using exact p values. Tests 2 and 3 were based on a systematic sample, but while Test 2 used exact p values, Test 3 used effect sizes directly. Trial-by-trial vividness reports demonstrated significantly larger effect sizes than the VVIQ across all three experimental methodologies, with neural measures yielding significantly greater effect sizes than behavioral and cognitive ones. Therefore, we conclude that trial-by-trial self-reports have higher predictive value than VVIQ.