Study Description:
The ability to imagine ourselves performing actions is thought to be related to how we learn new actions from watching others. The purpose of this study is to investigate how our perceptions of a task and its “learnability” potentially change as a result of watching others. We are also interested in intervening processes related to imagery, which may impact these perceptions. We are interested in a specific type of imagery, wherein one imagines the feeling of performing a movement, termed ‘kinesthetic motor imagery.’ In this online study, you will watch videos of an action that you have low to no-experience performing (self-report). You will be asked to provide confidence judgements and, on some trials, you will be asked to try and imagine the feeling of performing the task you are watching. Before completing the online study through the experimental platform “Gorilla”, we first ask that you complete some questionnaires via the Qualtrics’ survey platform. We anticipate that the total time to complete the questionnaires and study is approximately 40-50 minutes.
What does this investigation mean for the ~4% of the population who are Aphantasic? This research will provide insight into how individuals with Aphantasia learn from watching others and how kinesthetic motor imagery functions in individuals with Aphantasia. These data will be compared to participants who can generate visual images. As of now, there is no data on observational practice (which is a covert way of practicing like imagery), nor much knowledge on the types of imagery which best define Aphantasia.
What’s Involved for Participants:
Participants will complete questionnaires and a study protocol fully online, taking ~ 40 minutes to complete. This study will involve watching videos of a ball juggling action and providing ratings of ability perceptions using a computer keyboard. The study will conclude with a brief, physical attempt of the watched juggling task, which can be done in any space.
Participant Eligibility Criteria:
To participate you must
- Identify as having Aphantasia
- Be between 18-60 years of age
- Have normal or corrected to normal vision
- Have NO previous experience with juggling (including two- or three-ball juggling)
- Be able to read and understand English
- Have NO injuries or known neurological disorders that would interfere with your ability to use your hands and arms in a physical task
To Participate:
Please first complete Link 1 followed by Link 2. When prompted to enter a Participant ID, please create a unique ID using the last four digits of your phone number and three initials (e.g., 9045MWS). Please complete these in one sitting.
Link 1 – https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3VoelIgTDJox7xQ
Link 2 – https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/E926F3C3-A9EB-4490-85B8-62B2580F14AE
Principal investigator: Dr Nicola Hodges