Mental imagery and reality: Exploring the connection

In this podcast episode, Nadina Dragster discusses her research on mental imagery and how our brain differentiates between imagination and reality. She explains that while we often assume we can easily distinguish between the two, it can become challenging, as seen in cases of mental illnesses or when dreaming. Nadina delves into the concepts of top-down and bottom-up processing, highlighting how our brain combines sensory input with prior knowledge and expectations. She also shares fascinating findings from her research, including an experiment that showed how people can mistake their imagination for reality and the role of the reality threshold in determining our perception. Overall, the episode sheds light on the complex relationship between mental imagery and reality perception.