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I can do mental images, but only with enormous effort, and even then, they're pretty sketch. So I generally skip images. If I forced myself to imagine a tiger,

I can do mental images, but only with enormous effort, and even then, they're pretty sketch. So I generally skip images. If I forced myself to imagine a tiger, I wouldn't possibly be able to count stripes. Along these lines, I've also noticed that I read differently from most people. I never visualize what I'm reading. I read the words, but don't imagine the action or the people or places. The question "What does Hamlet look like?" makes pretty much no sense to me. In fact, I tend to skim quickly over highly descriptive passages (if they're long). In addition, although I'm a fluent reader of a few foreign languages, passages describing movement in space (say a drive or sail), completely lose me every time. When I talk to people about reading, most think I'm weird, but every now and again, I find someone who is equally non-visual as a reader. Thinking about this even a bit more, I realize that I probably could not give a coherent or useful description of anyone, no matter how well I know the person. Apparently, I use my eyes only to avoid oncoming objects. Weird.

johnaspden 16y ago
I think interesting rather than weird. According to Galton at least, people like you are much more common amongst scientists than people like me. Thank you very much for your comment. I was hoping that people would give me answers like this when I posted the link.
realitygrill 16y ago
I'm not sure if I have mental images - the natural representation for me is more like outlined kinesthetic/spatial impressions. When I do really try to visualize it's indistinct silvery stuff on black. I can project these into space or onto walls but it's not distinct enough for me to do much with it. Basic algebra operations in space are augmented if I use my hands to manipulate the equations. I also write in the air. The kinesthetic sense greatly aids me in physics: I can sort of feel vectors. My reading is somewhat similar to you: I read and the words flow in and have meaning. I only 'visualize' (spatialize?) when I'm confused, like with sci-fi space navy battles.

johnaspden 16y ago

I think interesting rather than weird. According to Galton at least, people like you are much more common amongst scientists than people like me. Thank you very much for your comment. I was hoping that people would give me answers like this when I posted the link.

realitygrill 16y ago

I'm not sure if I have mental images - the natural representation for me is more like outlined kinesthetic/spatial impressions. When I do really try to visualize it's indistinct silvery stuff on black. I can project these into space or onto walls but it's not distinct enough for me to do much with it. Basic algebra operations in space are augmented if I use my hands to manipulate the equations. I also write in the air. The kinesthetic sense greatly aids me in physics: I can sort of feel vectors. My reading is somewhat similar to you: I read and the words flow in and have meaning. I only 'visualize' (spatialize?) when I'm confused, like with sci-fi space navy battles.