Evaluating the vividness of mental imagery in different French samples Évaluer la vivacité des images mentales dans différentes populations françaises En Fr

Résumé En Fr

The aim of this article is to evaluate the vividness of visual imagery from three different sample groups:a contemporary dance group (n = 24), a group of modified state of consciousness experts (n = 24) and agroup of students (n = 48). We argue that the mental imagery activity into low vigilance level and into amodified state of consciousness has a closed link mechanism with vividness of visual imagery. We showthat the modified state of consciousness experts reached a significantly higher level of vividness open-eyesscore than the group of students. This could mean that higher open-eyes score is a cognitive trait of hypnoticsusceptibility linked to specific training. These results stem from research into the close relationship betweenimagery and perception. We present a French adaptation and a French translation of Vividness of VisualImagery Questionnaire, too. The VVIQ [Br. J. Psychol. 64 (1973) 17–24] is a questionnaire very used inclinical psychology and in cognitive psychology.

Le but de cet article est d'évaluer la vivacité des images mentales sur trois populations différentes : un groupe d'étudiants/es (n = 48), un groupe d'experts en techniques reposant sur la modification des états de conscience (n = 24) et un groupe de danseurs/euses contemporains (n = 24). Il montre que le groupe d'experts utilisant les images mentales dans un état de vigilance basse a des scores de vivacité avec les yeux ouverts plus élevés que le groupe d'étudiants. La vivacité des images mentales pourrait représenter un trait cognitif qui permettrait de diminuer l'influence extéroceptive, favoriser une plus grande flexibilité mentale et faciliter l'intégration des suggestions hypnotiques. Une traduction et une adaptation française du questionnaire, le VVIQ [Br. J. Psychol. 64 (1973) 17–24], a été nécessaire pour notre étude, le VVIQ étant un questionnaire très utilisé, voire incontournable en psychologie cognitive et en psychopathologie clinique dans l'évaluation de la vivacité des images mentales. © 2008 Société française de psychologie. Publié par Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits réservés. Abstract The aim of this article is to evaluate the vividness of visual imagery from three different sample groups: a contemporary dance group (n = 24), a group of modified state of consciousness experts (n = 24) and a group of students (n = 48). We argue that the mental imagery activity into low vigilance level and into a modified state of consciousness has a closed link mechanism with vividness of visual imagery. We show that the modified state of consciousness experts reached a significantly higher level of vividness open-eyes score than the group of students. This could mean that higher open-eyes score is a cognitive trait of hypnotic susceptibility linked to specific training. These results stem from research into the close relationship between imagery and perception. We present a French adaptation and a French translation of Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, too. The VVIQ [Br. J. Psychol. 64 (1973) 17–24] is a questionnaire very used in clinical psychology and in cognitive psychology.