Introduction

manipulation of viewable (visual) images and the result is the creation of new images that have a semantic load and make the meaning viewable.

Despite a number of existing visual thinking studies in psychological science, the indicated problem cognition is significantly complicated by insufficient development of conceptual approaches that would allow to constructively research the mechanisms and specifics of the mentioned type of reasoning.

The main reason for such situation is, firstly, the absence of a clear theoretical and methodological background of this phenomenon; secondly, the ambiguity of approaches to the interpretation of the “visual thinking” concept; thirdly, the complexity of experimental research study of visual thinking mechanisms through their integration and substitution by other cognitive processes; fourthly, the absence of valid and reliable methods of their study. For a long time, the visual thinking issue has been a “blind spot” in psychological science. Although, considering its relevance and importance, there have been attempts to investigate the area. But they are mostly the studies of “thinking images”, “spatial images”, or visible images (perceptual; visual – active thinking; and visual – figurative thinking). We can consider them as specific steps to solve the problem of visual thinking.

The scientific research presented in this monograph consists in defining the methodological basis for visual thinking activity study; developing a strategically semantic approach to this activity understanding. The basic provisions of this approach lie in the fact that the general “world picture”, inherent to a certain society, and a person’s “world image”, which is formed in the process of desobjectivation of such “world picture” and objectification of the world, are the main factors of the visual thinking development. These factors determine the visual thinking strategies, which are individual mechanisms of a image-concept formation.

A conceptual model of visual thinking is revealed. It shows that the visual thinking strategies as the mechanisms of a image-concept formation and visibility as its property are the system-forming components.

The model of visual thinking strategies is formed. These strategies are presented as complex integral formations having a hierarchical structure that includes meta, macro, and micro levels. The interrelation with other thinking processes is revealed.

The strategically semantic approach development makes it possible to model the visual thinking process. This is the basis for the study of visual thinking activity and its mechanisms. Based on this conceptual approach to the visual thinking activity study, it is possible to create diagnostic tools and diagnose the visual thinking development, the ability for creative visualization. The visual thinking strategies study in various fields of human activity, particularly creative ones, can also be the basis for the creation of training on visual thinking development.

Part 1 Theory and methodology of the visual thinking phenomenon in psychological science

Section 1 Historical analysis and emergence conditions of the visual thinking problem in psychology

The visual thinking problem and its study in psychological science has its historical and theoretical and methodological foundations. The analysis of these foundations makes it possible to find out the basic scientific approaches and traditions related to the study of the problem. This section will be focused on the prehistory of visual thinking problem setting. This, first of all, concerns the study of the mechanisms of the psychic as a process and thinking images content, because, in our opinion, these psychic formations are funda thinking for the study of visual thinking problem.

The questions of thinking representations and their nature, which the ancient philosophers posed, are the historical origins of the visual thinking problem. It was Empedocles (490–430 B.C.) who for the first time considered the image as a thinking representation having an imitating nature. The image is related to respective sensory organs – “like is known by like”. This theory was further developed in Democritus’ mechanistic and materialistic theory of reflection (460–370 B.C.). According to Democritus, “vision arises from reflection”, everything (both reflective one and reflected one) has its counter eidos origins, which can fix the structure of the object being reflected and the thinking states of the person who reflects them. Epicurus (341–270 B.C.) revealed the influence of truth or falsity of thought on the image’s illusory nature, that is an attempt was made to show the mechanisms of thinking influence on the reflecting processes. Plato (428–348 B.C.), as the founder of idealism, believed that thinking was based on stimulation received from each type of sensibility. And each sensation has a special function – to detect light energy, sound energy, etc. Sensory and intellectual knowledge are interconnected in such a way that the sensory one is preceded by the intellectual one. According to the philosopher, it is important to see the results of the things interaction or their connection not with ordinary eyes, but “with the mind’s eyes”. The omniscient soul is the carrier of the mind. Aristotle