Know my VVIQ? How? It’s easy, follow the instructions below. All you need is a pencil and paper, and 5-10 minutes of your time.
What is the VVIQ? The VVIQ is a paper-and-pencil test of your visual mental imagery. ability. The VVIQ score tells you about the ability of your “mind’s eye” to “see” clear, colourful and lively mental images.
Who is the test for? People of all ages, 10 and upwards.
What does it cost? It’s free,
Enjoy!
VVIQ Instructions
Visual imagery is to the ability to visualize, that is, the ability to form mental pictures, or to ‘see in the mind’s eye’. Marked individual differences are found in the strength and clarity of reported visual imagery and these differences are of considerable psychological interest.
The aim of this test is to determine the vividness of your visual imagery. The items of the test will possibly bring certain images to your mind. You are asked to rate the vividness of each image by reference to the five-point scale given below. For example, if your image is ‘vague and dim’, then give it a rating of 4. After each item, mark the appropriate number in the column provided. The first column is for an image obtained with your eyes open and the second column is for an image obtained with your eyes closed. Before you turn to the items on the questionnaire, familiarize yourself with the different categories on the rating scale.
Complete all items for images obtained with your eyes open and then return to the beginning of the questionnaire and rate the image obtained for each item with your eyes closed. Try and give your ‘eyes closed’ rating independently of the ‘eyes open’ rating. The two ratings for a given item may not in all cases be the same.
The five-point rating scale is below. To complete the test, you need to print the VVIQ test on a sheet of paper and use a pencil or ballpoint for your ratings. Alternatively, copy the scoring sheet of 16 rows and two columns, one for eyes open and one for eyes closed, onto a sheet of paper.
Throughout the test, refer to the rating scale when judging the vividness of each image. Try to do each item independently of how you may have done other items.
| VVIQ Rating | The Image Aroused by an Item Might Be |
| 1 | Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision |
| 2 | Clear and reasonably vivid |
| 3 | Moderately clear and vivid |
| 4 | Vague and dim |
| 5 | No image at all, you only “know” that you are thinking of an object |
VVIQ Procedure
- Print the test OR copy it onto a piece of paper.
- Find a quiet location where you can sit and work with your mental imagery for 5-10 minutes.
- Complete the 16 VVIQ Items with your eyes open. Go through the 16 items keeping your eyes open. Rate the vividness of the image for each item by marking the appropriate number 1 to 5 in the Rating Eyes Open column.
- Complete the 16 VVIQ Items with your eyes closed. Go back to the beginning and produce the image with your eyes closed and rate the image for each item by marking the appropriate number 1 to 5 in the Rating Eyes Closed column.
- Obtain your VVIQ score.
The Questionnaire:
| Item | Description | Rating Eyes Open | Rating Eyes Closed |
| For items 1 to 4, think of some relative or friend whom you frequently see (but who is not with you at present) and consider carefully the picture that comes before your mind’s eye. |
| ||
| 1 | The exact contour of face, head, shoulders, and body. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 2 | Characteristic poses of head, attitudes of body, etc. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 3 | The precise carriage, length of step, etc. in walking. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 4 | The different colors worn in some familiar clothes. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Visualize a rising sun. Consider carefully the picture that comes before your mind’s eye. | |||
| 5 | The sun is rising above the horizon into a hazy sky. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 6 | The sky clears and surrounds the sun with blueness. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 7 | Clouds. A storm blows up, with flashes of lightening. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 8 | A rainbow appears. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Think of the front of a shop which you often go to. Consider the picture that comes before your mind’s eye. | |||
| 9 | The overall appearance of the shop from the opposite side of the road. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 10 | A window display including colors, shape, and details of individual items for sale. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 11 | You are near the entrance. The color, shape, and details of the door. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 12 | You enter the shop and go to the counter. The counter assistant serves you. Money changes hands. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Finally, think of a country scene which involves trees, mountains, and a lake. Consider the picture that comes before your mind’s eye. | |||
| 13 | The contours of the landscape. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 14 | The color and shape of the trees. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 15 | The color and shape of the lake. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
| 16 | A strong wind blows on the trees and on the lake causing waves. | Open 1 2 3 4 5 | Closed 1 2 3 4 5 |
Scoring. Obtain your total Eyes Open score by adding your 16 eyes open ratings. The score can range from 16-80. Obtain your total Eyes Closed score by adding your 16 eyes closed ratings. The score can range from 16-80. Obtain your VVIQ Total Score by adding your eyes open and eyes closed totals. The score can range from 32-160.
Note of Caution. This original 16-item VVIQ is not intended as a screening tool for clinical/neurological conditions. Any score including the minimum and maximum is a measure of an individual difference in a distribution. To assume otherwise would be an illegitimate abuse of this instrument.
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