Revising the Visualizer-Verbalizer Dimension: Evidence for Two Types of Visualizers

Abstract

Sixty participants were administered spatial ability tests, a verbal ability test, and a visualizer-verbalizer cognitive style questionnaire. Although verbalizers tended to be a homogeneous group with an intermediate level of spatial ability, there were 2 groups of visualizers, 1 with high spatial ability (the spatial type) and another with low spatial ability (the iconic type). To compare the use of mental images by the 2 types of visualizers in solving problems, interviews with 8 high-spatial visualizers and 9 low-spatial visualizers were conducted. The students were presented with graphs of motion and were asked to visualize and interpret the motion of an object. Whereas low-spatial visualizers interpreted the graphs as pictures and mostly relied on visual (iconic) imagery, high-spatial visualizers constructed more schematic images and manipulated them spatially. In addition, we compared problem-solving strategies used by verbalizers to those of visualizers. In contrast to visualizers, verbalizers of low and high spatial ability did not have any clearly marked preference to use visual or spatial imagery.