Thanks! Wow -- didn't realize so many people tried the eye pressure thing. If I did it and you did it just because we thought it was cool, I bet there are a lot more people out there.
I'm curious, after looking at a computer screen for a little while and then closing your eyes do you ever see a rectangle that is the same proportions as the computer screen? It doesn't have to be a screen even, it can be anything. I have noticed that I will have an almost exact replica "burned into" my vision when I close my eyes. I can then (somewhat) manipulate this image in my mind. I've kinda thought that these…
I'm curious, after looking at a computer screen for a little while and then closing your eyes do you ever see a rectangle that is the same proportions as the computer screen? It doesn't have to be a screen even, it can be anything. I have noticed that I will have an almost exact replica "burned into" my vision when I close my eyes. I can then (somewhat) manipulate this image in my mind. I've kinda thought that these…
FYI, the phenomenon you describe is an afterimage and happens to everybody ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterimage ). You are correct that the visual cortex is involved in both phenomena but they are quite different. An after-image is still an "upstream" image on your retina, whereas a mental image is not. Whether the former can be used to increase facility with the latter I do not know. I haven't seen scientific e…
Ah, that's what it's called, thanks! I read about that a while back but forgot whether it was a phenomenon of the retina or of the brain. What I am wondering is if you can use the after image as almost a skeleton for more advanced visualizations. For example, imagine the retinal after image laying down the basic shape, and then you can consciously add detail on top of that after image. Maybe using the after image as a kind of training wheels..if it's even possible..
Wow. My experience is drastically different than yours. I've almost always thought of things through mental imagery. It comes naturally to me (which really helped in calculus 3, haha). I can say that with confidence. Thanks for the link. I wonder how many non-visualizers are out there, too.
Reminds me how there's apparently a decently-sized part of the population that doesn't intuitively know left and right. I wouldn't have believed it much if I didn't meet someone with the issue and someone else who claims their wife has it.
Reminds me of people with dyslexia. I wonder if the two are related.
I'm curious, after looking at a computer screen for a little while and then closing your eyes do you ever see a rectangle that is the same proportions as the computer screen? It doesn't have to be a screen even, it can be anything. I have noticed that I will have an almost exact replica "burned into" my vision when I close my eyes. I can then (somewhat) manipulate this image in my mind. I've kinda thought that these…
FYI, the phenomenon you describe is an afterimage and happens to everybody ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterimage ). You are correct that the visual cortex is involved in both phenomena but they are quite different. An after-image is still an "upstream" image on your retina, whereas a mental image is not. Whether the former can be used to increase facility with the latter I do not know. I haven't seen scientific e…
Pretty cool--I've been interested in finding new ways to exercise my mind recently. I have pretty bad ADHD/laziness, so it's hard to commit to doing such things regularly, but I'm hoping that meditation as well as these sorts of exercises will help with that. Another fascinating set of exercises (that I became aware of reading an article on Ithkuil, an invented language, that was on here a little while ago) is "decon…
This "deconcentration of attention" website is fascinating. Have you attempted any of the exercises?
A few times, not nearly enough to experience any benefits of it. I'll try more from now on, promise! :)
Pretty cool--I've been interested in finding new ways to exercise my mind recently. I have pretty bad ADHD/laziness, so it's hard to commit to doing such things regularly, but I'm hoping that meditation as well as these sorts of exercises will help with that. Another fascinating set of exercises (that I became aware of reading an article on Ithkuil, an invented language, that was on here a little while ago) is "decon…
>>pretty bad ADHD/laziness Is great that you at least admit that your problem is part laziness. I'm sure ADHD must be true for some people but I wonder if too many use it as an excuse for their failures. Even I've wondered if maybe I suffer from ADHD since is really hard to keep my attention on a project past the prototype stage. That is, once the last 10% starts. All joking aside, it feels almost like pulling teeth…
Well, at least in my case, they're pretty closely related. It's complicated, and rather hard to explain, but I might say I'm addicted to distraction. It's very hard for me to do something I don't get any stimulation out of.
Based on the friends and family that likes to bounce engineering ideas off me, it seems that a lot of people's imaginations are too optimistic -- we end up going in circles with what inevitably becomes the trade-offs or limitations in the design because they envision a "perfect" solution and contradict themselves as they try to get around it. It's frustrating for them when I start committing things to paper in front of them, because then they have to deal with the problems/contradictions their optimistic brain was avoiding. Do you know if there's a way to hone realism in imagination?
>>pretty bad ADHD/laziness Is great that you at least admit that your problem is part laziness. I'm sure ADHD must be true for some people but I wonder if too many use it as an excuse for their failures. Even I've wondered if maybe I suffer from ADHD since is really hard to keep my attention on a project past the prototype stage. That is, once the last 10% starts. All joking aside, it feels almost like pulling teeth…
Well, at least in my case, they're pretty closely related. It's complicated, and rather hard to explain, but I might say I'm addicted to distraction. It's very hard for me to do something I don't get any stimulation out of.
>>It's very hard for me to do something I don't get any stimulation out of.