Auditory Imagery

Book excerpt: The study of mental imagery has been a central concern of modern psychology, but most of what we know concerns visual imagery. A number of researchers, however, have recently begun to explore auditory imagery; this foundation-level volume presents their work. The topics covered are diverse, a reflection of the fact that auditory imagery seems relevant to numerous research domains -- from the ordinary memory rehearsal of undergraduates to the delusional voices of schizophrenics, from music imagery to imagery for speech. The chapters also address the parallels (and contrasts) between visual and auditory imagery, the relations between "inner speech" and overt speech, and between the "inner ear" and actual hearing. This book provides a valuable resource for students in many areas: imagery, working memory, music, speech, auditory perception, schizophrenia, or deafness.