Mental imagery as part of an ‘inwardly focused’ cognitive style

Abstract

What is the source of individual differences in the experience of mental imagery? While parallels are often drawn between imagery abilities and the perception of external stimuli, we propose that these differences need to be considered in a wider context that encompasses personality traits and tendencies geared towards focusing on one's inner world. Moreover, we suggest that imagery experience is part of a cluster of traits and tendencies that could be described as an ‘inwardly focused’ cognitive style, characterised by a propensity to engage deeply with internally generated sensations. This trait cluster is negatively associated with alexithymia, indicating that vivid imagery goes hand-in-hand with a greater ability to identify and describe one's emotions, in addition to heightened interoceptive attention. Rather than merely reflecting efficient bottom-up processing of internal signals, we propose that this cognitive style represents a bias or tendency to prioritise and attend to these signals, shaping the overall experience of mental imagery.