Why people think ridiculous imagery works

How imagery-based instruction works, in two scenarios:

Scenario A

  • Teacher gives weird image-based concept, like “breathe through the soles of your feet” (real advice from a real voice teacher).
  • She sings the passage to demonstrate.
  • The student copies the demonstration.
  • Teacher thinks the imagery “worked”, when really it’s modeling better singing that actually worked, and the student found the same effect in her own voice. The teacher may as well have said “feel it in your knees” as long as the demonstration was adequate.