How should we understand imagination within the broader framework of general psychology? Turning to Luca Tateo’s (2020) recent book, A theory of imagining, knowing, and understanding, I begin with asking what imagination is. The question leads to seeing the interplay between imagination, perception, and conceptual organization. Identifying the affective dimension of imagination and how imagination operates within a discursive reality, I explore the links between imagination and general psychology, with reference to Activity Theory, fundamental psychological categories, and normativity. Drawing on themes from general psychology can extend the study of imagination, while the study of imagination can in turn inform general psychology. Finally, I address some of the implications of this study for epistemology, education, and critical thinking.

我们应该如何在更广泛的一般心理学框架内理解想象力？转向卢卡·塔托（Luca Tateo）（2020）的新书《想象，认识和理解的理论》，我首先要问什么是想象力。这个问题导致人们看到想象力，知觉和概念组织之间的相互作用。识别想象力的情感维度以及想象力在话语现实中的运作方式，我参考活动理论，基本的心理类别和规范性，探索想象力与一般心理学之间的联系。利用一般心理学的主题可以扩展对想象力的研究，而对想象力的研究又可以为一般心理学提供信息。最后，我讨论了这项研究对认识论，教育和批判性思维的一些影响。