SPECIFICITY OF EEG PHOTIC FLICKER RESPONSES TO COLOR AS RELATED TO VISUAL IMAGERY ABILITY

Two groups of subjects were selected from a previously studied population sample: a group of habitual visualizers, most of whom developed eye movements during recall of motion, and a group of non‐visualizers, most of whom did not. EEG following responses to red photic flicker differed markedly for the two groups, being diminished in visualizers but enhanced in non‐visualizers as compared to their EEG following responses to blue or green. Mental and visual imagery tasks induced significantly greater alpha blocking in visualizers than in non‐visualizers. The partial or complete desynchronization of on‐going rhythmic EEG activity suggests a lower threshold for EEG desynchronization for visualizers than for non‐visualizers. The augmented EEG following of non‐visualizers to red flicker appears to represent a different aspect of the same response continuum.