J. Hilgard (1970, 1972, 1974, 1979), utilizing an interview format, asserted that a personality variable, namely, an individual's capacity to become imaginatively involved in experiences outside of hypnosis, was significantly correlated with his or her hypnotic susceptibility. Tellegen and Atkinson (1974) operationalized the imaginative involvement variable in a 37-item questionnaire, the Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS) that correlated significantly with hypnotic susceptibility (e.g., Crawford, 1982). However, Council, Kirsch, and Hafner (1986) suggested that the relationship between the TAS and hypnotic susceptibility is a context-mediated artifact in that the two correlate only when the TAS is administered within a context clearly identified as involving hypnosis. As the interviews conducted by J. Hilgard (1970, 1972, 1974, 1979) were done within a context clearly identified as involving hypnosis, the possibility exists that the relationship between imaginative involvement and hypnotic susceptibility is also a context-mediated artifact. In a test of this possibility, 86 subjects were interviewed concerning their imaginative involvements. Forty-three subjects were interviewed within a context defined as "research investigating hypnosis" and 43 subjects were interviewed within a context defined as "research investigating imagination." Hypnotic susceptibility was assessed in sessions separate from the interviews. In the present study, an individual's hypnotic susceptibility was not found to be significantly related to his or her imaginative involvement. It appears J. Hilgard's original finding may have been due to chance correlations compounded by subsequent experimenter expectancy effects. It is recommended that J. Hilgard's work be clarified through more extensive replications in which experimenter blindness is assured.

La Galatée et le Persiles de Cervantès ont fréquemment suscité des difficultés d’interprétation car ils n’établissent pas le même rapport avec la réalité que les ouvrages situés au centre de la création cervantine : en effet, ils explorent des espaces imaginaires frôlant parfois l’invraisemblance et s’éloignent, ce faisant, de ce qui nous semble être le fondement du roman moderne. C’est donc à partir de ce premier constat que le présent travail s’est progressivement construit cherchant à comprendre les raisons de ces particularités décelables dans les oeuvres liminaires d’un auteur dont l’« ingenio » a si souvent été loué. Aussi s’agira-t-il de déceler des similitudes entre ces deux romans, mais surtout de les replacer dans leur contexte d’écriture : l’imagination et l’imaginaire constitueront les fils directeurs de cette étude qui tentera de montrer la capacité de ces ouvrages à répondre aux attentes d’un lectorat et des théoriciens sans pour autant négliger l’entreprise consistant à élaborer une écriture libre et libérée : une écriture de l’imaginaire / La Galatea and Persiles, two romances written by Cervantes, are frequently misunderstood because they do not establish the same relation with reality as in Don Quixote. They explore an imaginary space and seem to work in contradiction with the rule of verisimilitude and what we consider to be the foundation of the modern novel. After this assessment, the present study has been elaborated in order to understand the reasons for these special features in Cervantes's first and last books, a writer whose “ingenio” has often been praised. That is why, for a start, I will focus on the similarities between them and, first and foremost, I will contextualise them: the imagination and the imaginary will be the guiding principles. This work tries to show how these books are able to meet the readership's and the theoreticians' expectations. At the same time they explore an imaginary space, proving that it is possible to invent a free writing

This dissertation provides a theoretical analysis and examination of the role of imagination in the formation of an environmental ethos. The majority of ethical theories in environmental thought largely neglect the role that imagination plays in both the relationships that humans form with their environment, and the subsequent role that imagination plays in constituting the way that those relationships are understood ethically. To explore the role of imagination in constituting and subsequently projecting such an ethical way of being, this dissertation selectively analyzes the history of imagination in philosophy, cognitive science, and environmental thought. In addition, this dissertation also explores the role that images play in forming collective responses to environmental disasters, and the further role that imagination plays in overcoming the moral motivation gap.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis is a collection of creative work including two screenplays, three short stories, an essay, and a compilation of graphic texts. Although diverging in mediums, the following forms of work seek to investigate and explore the role of both the imaginary and the natural-animal world while discerning one’s many identities: the sexual, the spiritual, the familial, and the societal. These works were written between February, 2014 and April, 2016.

Thesis advisor: Laurie Shepard / "Rhetoric of Imagination and of Sprezzatura in Louise Labé and Isabella Andreini" redefines the relationship between gender and imagination in the act of writing. The goal is not to argue that women write in a different manner than men, rather, by reading their texts together with male contemporaries, this work illustrates how writers engaged in various strategies, and in particular the rhetoric of imagination and of sprezzatura, to establish themselves within the literary culture of the period. Labé (c.1520-1566) and Andreini (1562-1604), grant themselves the authority to write by modeling their needs on the examples set by their male counterparts. The Introductory Chapter consists of a statement of the purpose of the study, its significance, and an outline of the work; it also includes biographies of Louise Labé and Isabella Andreini and contextualizes their socio-economical status. Chapter 1: Prefaces in Louise Labé and Isabella Andreini, A Means to Self-Promotion, analyzes the prefaces of Labé and Andreini, in which they solicit patronage. This practice is an important tool for those seeking social mobility, security, and recognition by others. Chapter 2: Rhetoric of Imagination in Louise Labé and Isabella Andreini, elaborates the role and essential androgyny of imagination. By focusing on the fundamental characteristics of this faculty, its "power of sensory representation," this dissertation argues that Petrarca and Montaigne's idea of imagination is intimately related to man's desire to transform reality, to produce images and, ultimately, to engage in the act of writing, and both Labé and Andreini self-consciously reflect on this function in their words. Both writers develop a rhetoric of imagination that permits them to surpass the very question of gender by taking a position of power with respect to their writing and their rights as authors. Chapter 3: Rhetoric of sprezzatura in Louise Labé and Isabella Andreini, examines how Labé and Andreini use sprezzatura as a rhetorical strategy that allows them to identify with their male ounterparts and cross the boundaries of society while seeking "fame." From my analysis of imagination and sprezzatura I have observed that these are two conditions that create tension between their private and public spheres of Labé and Andreini. On the one hand, imagination is a mental effort, and belongs to the realm of the private; and, on the other, sprezzatura is tied to the rules of eloquence, thus belongs to the realm of the public. In their texts this duality manifests itself through the interplay of the androgynous "I" which masks their identity. In conclusion, this study shows how Labé and Andreini manipulate the existing dominating structure of society to fit gender expectations. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Romance Languages and Literatures.

Self-imagery plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of social anxiety (Hirsch, Clark and Mathews, 2006a). As a feared social event is anticipated, negative self- images become activated and this increases the experience of anxiety (Hirsch & Holmes, 2007). These continue to be present during the social event and become reinforced by negative interpretations of self-performance as well as by the responses of others (Hirsch, Clark, Mathews & Williams, 2003). Mental imagery is a key characteristic of fantasy proneness where the ability to generate vivid imagery forms part of imaginational ability (Sanchez-Bernados & Avia, 2004). This study investigated the relationship between fantasy proneness and social anxiety. As anticipation of a feared event plays a pivotal role in social anxiety; the establishment of a positive relationship between fantasy proneness (imaginational ability) and social anxiety may shed light on the role that imagination and fantasy play in how a socially anxious person imagines a feared event, which then contributes to the experience of social anxiety. The implications of a relationship between these constructs may indicate the role which imaginational ability (fantasy proneness) could play in underlying and maintaining social anxiety. Two self-report measures (the Creative Experiences Questionnaire and the self-report version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale) were administered to a sample of 50 non-clinical participants; 38 females and 12 males, within the age range of 19 to 52 years old. Both scales have been found to have adequate psychometric properties internationally (Fresco, Coles, Heimberg, Liebowitz, Hami, Stein and Goetz, 2001; Merckelbach, Horselenberg & Muris, 2001). Whilst no psychometric information on the use of these scales in the South African context could be found, the results of this study will contribute to the use of these scales in South Africa. The results of these scales were statistically correlated revealing that, within the research design and methodology parameters of this study, a weak, but significant, positive, relationship was found between the constructs of fantasy proneness and social anxiety. The implication of this finding is that imagination, as a cognitive process, plays a role in social anxiety. Clinically this suggests that whilst imaginative processes play a role in underlying social anxiety, they can also be utilised adaptively in cognitively countering social anxiety in a treatment context.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Louis Perouse. / M.S.

The purpose of this study was to explore preschool- and primary school teachers’ perceptions of fairytales, why they use fairytales and what thoughts they have about the impact of fairytales on children’s reading and writing development. We interviewed seven teachers and three preschool teachers in northern Sweden to find out how work with fairytales is carried out in preschool and primary school. We also interviewed twelve pupils who were seven and eight years old to find out what they thought of fairytales in primary school. The result showed that preschool- and primary school teachers had a positive attitude towards fairytales and the opportunities provided by fairytales. The preschool- and primary school teachers in this study used fairytales to stimulate the imagination and the language development of the children. Fairytales were believed to create engagement and emotions within the children. To stimulate reading and writing among the children many teachers let the children write their own fairytales, pointing out the structure of a typical fairytale before the students start writing. Preschool teachers used fairytales to introduce the children to written language, since not all children were familiar with written language. This study shows that fairytales were used in different ways among the teachers and the preschool teachers and that the pupils enjoyed working with fairytales

Thesis (Honors)--Liberty University Honors Program, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.