What It's Like to Have Aphantasia

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Does a Person With Aphantasia See?Research on AphantasiaExplanationsIs Aphantasia a Type of Autism?Aphantasia and MemoryCan People With Aphantasia Dream?Living With Aphantasia

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Table of Contents

What Does a Person With Aphantasia See?

Research on Aphantasia

Explanations

Is Aphantasia a Type of Autism?

Aphantasia and Memory

Can People With Aphantasia Dream?

Living With Aphantasia

Close

Aphantasia is a phenomenon in which people are unable to visualize imagery. While most people are able to conjure an image of a scene, object, or face in their minds, people withaphantasiacannot.

Imagine that it is a warm summer day and you are sitting on the side of a swimming pool. The sun is shining down and there are children laughing and splashing in the water. What sort of images do you see in your mind as you think about this scene?

If you have aphantasia, you may be unable to visualize any type of image in your head. Aphantasia is believed to be rare, affecting an estimated 1% to 4% of the population.These individuals have no “mind’s eye,” or their imagination is essentially blind. This ability to visualize events and images often plays an important part in people’s lives.

We often visualize scenes, people, experiences, imaginings, objects, and planned events, among other things. When you think about a friend, for example, you might immediately visualize their face inside your mind. People with aphantasia are unable to visualize such a mental image.

If you were to ask a person with aphantasia to imagine something, they could likely describe the object, explain the concept, and rattle off facts that they know about the object. But they would not be able to experience any sort of mental image to accompany this knowledge. For those without aphantasia, this may be difficult to comprehend.

Signs of AphantasiaDo you think you might have aphantasia? Consider the following questions:Think of a friend or family member. Try to conjure an image of their face in your mind. How clearly can you see their features, face, hair, and shape?How clearly can you picture their characteristic movements and gestures?How vividly can you picture that person’s clothing?If you struggle with your responses to these questions, you might have some degree of aphantasia.

Signs of Aphantasia

Do you think you might have aphantasia? Consider the following questions:Think of a friend or family member. Try to conjure an image of their face in your mind. How clearly can you see their features, face, hair, and shape?How clearly can you picture their characteristic movements and gestures?How vividly can you picture that person’s clothing?If you struggle with your responses to these questions, you might have some degree of aphantasia.

Do you think you might have aphantasia? Consider the following questions:

If you struggle with your responses to these questions, you might have some degree of aphantasia.

This lack of mental imagery was described as early the late 1800s, yet it has remained a relatively unstudied phenomenon. Francis Galton first described the occurrence in a paper on mental imagery published in 1880. In addition to noting that people experience various degrees of vividness when describing their mental visual imagery, he also reported that some people experienced no visual imagery at all.

The condition is still largely unstudied and remains poorly understood, although further research is underway.

Much of the available information stems from a few small studies and anecdotal accounts from people who have described their symptoms.

Early Reports

In 2005, a retired 65-year-old man visited neurologist Adam Zeman of the University of Exeter Medical School. The man, referred to in the literature as MX, had undergone a minor surgery, after which he realized that he could no longer visualize images in his mind. Zeman’s search of the medical literature turned up little to explain why the man could no longer generate visual images within his “mind’s eye.”

Researchers have long debated exactly how this ability to visualize inside the mind works and the role that it may play in planning andmemory. While the patient described experiencing almost no imagery, his performance on tests ofperception, visual imagery, andvisual memorywere all normal.

Using a technique call “binocular rivalry,” the researchers told participants to imagine an image. Two different images were then shown to the participants via a 3D headset. One eye saw one image, while the other eye saw a completely different image.

When told to imagine one of these images beforehand, people without aphantasia are more likely to see the image they had previously envisioned. There was no suchcorrelationbetween the imagined image and the dominant image people saw. These findings suggest that it is not that those with aphantasia have poor recall of their imaginings—they literally have no such visual imaginings to begin with.

Latest Research

A 2020 study looked at differences between people with aphantasia and those with hyperphantasia, which involves experiencing vivid mental imagery. Those with aphantasia reported more difficulty with autobiographical memory and facial recognition and were more likely to work in careers that involve math and science.

Those with hyperphantasia were more likely to also experiencesynaesthesia—experiencing one sense through another (i.e. hearing colors or tasting shapes)—and worked more frequently in creative professions.

Another 2020 study found that people with aphantasia also report decreased imagery in other sensory domains, including less vivid autobiographical memories. They also have less frequent and less visual dreams.

However, the study also found that these deficits had no impact on spatial ability. The lack of visual imagery also appeared to offer no protection against symptoms of trauma in response to stressful life events.

Possible Explanations for Aphantasia

While research is limited, the available findings offer some clues as to what might explain aphantasia.

Is Aphantasia a Type of Autism?Some evidence suggests that people with aphantasia may also be more likely to experience traits linked to autism, including impaired social skills and decreased imagination.While aphantasia might be more common with autism, more research is needed to determine if it might be linked to other mental conditions. It is not a form of mental illness but instead may represent a variation in cognitive processing and experience.

Some evidence suggests that people with aphantasia may also be more likely to experience traits linked to autism, including impaired social skills and decreased imagination.While aphantasia might be more common with autism, more research is needed to determine if it might be linked to other mental conditions. It is not a form of mental illness but instead may represent a variation in cognitive processing and experience.

When people normally cue a memory, they are often able to imagine events almost as though they are replaying a video of the experience. They often recall specific imagery that stands out about the memory. For people with aphantasia, memories of events are often comprised simply of a listing of facts.

While the exact nature and impact this condition are not yet clear, research does suggest that aphantasia may have a negative impact on memory.

Someone with aphantasia might remember the day they were married, names of the people who attended, and even what the weather was like that day, but they will not be able to form a mental image of the events of the event.

Can People With Aphantasia Dream?While aphantasia may impact dreaming, some reports suggest that some people with aphantasia do experience visual imagery while dreaming. This suggests that it may primarily impact intentional, voluntary visualization.

While aphantasia may impact dreaming, some reports suggest that some people with aphantasia do experience visual imagery while dreaming. This suggests that it may primarily impact intentional, voluntary visualization.

Not being able to visualize people and places can be distressing for people with aphantasia. For example, not being able to picture the face of a loved one who has passed away can be upsetting.

The available studies suggest that having aphantasia does not necessarily hurt a person’s success in life. People from all walks of life experience this phenomenon, including successful doctorate students, engineers, and other professionals.

It is important to note that this phenomenon is a normal variation of human experience, not a condition that requires treatment. This doesn’t mean that it might not have an effect on different aspects of your life, however. Mental imagery also plays a role in learning, so not being able to visualize scenes in your mind may make certain aspects of learning more difficult.

A number of questions remain about this phenomenon, including just how prevalent it may be and whether it might have a genetic component.

Researchers suggest that future investigations of the condition not only focus on its causes and effects, but also on possible ways of improving the ability to mentally visualize. Further research and a better understanding of the condition are needed to make such recommendations, however.

If you suspect you might have aphantasia, consider exploring some newmemory strategies. The inability to visualize can make some types of memorization more difficult, so you may need to experiment to find a technique that works for you. Even though you may not be able to visualize scenes or people in your mind, you can use photography, illustrations, design software, and other visualization tools to fill in this gap.

Research on aphantasia is still very much in its infancy, so there is still a great deal to learn. Many people with aphantasia do not even realize that their experience is any different than that of other people. It is simply part of their existence and has little impact on how they live their lives.

In an interview with the BBC, neurologist Adam Zeman, the researcher who coined the term aphantasia, described it as simply “a fascinating variation in human experience rather than a medical disorder.”

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8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dance CJ, Ipser A, Simner J. The prevalence of aphantasia (Imagery weakness) in the general population.Consciousness and Cognition. 2022;97:103243. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103243Zeman A, Dewar M, Della Sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378–380. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019Zeman A, Dewar M, Della sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378-80. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019Keogh R, Pearson J.The blind mind: No sensory visual imagery in aphantasia.Cortex. 2018;105:53–60. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.012Zeman A, Milton F, Della Sala S, et al.Phantasia–The psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes.Cortex. 2020;130:426-440. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.003Dawes AJ, Keogh R, Andrillon T, Pearson J.A cognitive profile of multi-sensory imagery, memory and dreaming in aphantasia.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):10022. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-65705-7Dance CJ, Jaquiery M, Eagleman DM, Porteous D, Zeman A, Simner J.What is the relationship between aphantasia, synaesthesia and autism?Consciousness and Cognition. 2021;89:103087. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103087Cohen M.The effectiveness of imagery interventions on the vocabulary learning of second grade students. NERA Conference Proceedings 2009. 2009;33.

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dance CJ, Ipser A, Simner J. The prevalence of aphantasia (Imagery weakness) in the general population.Consciousness and Cognition. 2022;97:103243. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103243Zeman A, Dewar M, Della Sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378–380. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019Zeman A, Dewar M, Della sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378-80. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019Keogh R, Pearson J.The blind mind: No sensory visual imagery in aphantasia.Cortex. 2018;105:53–60. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.012Zeman A, Milton F, Della Sala S, et al.Phantasia–The psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes.Cortex. 2020;130:426-440. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.003Dawes AJ, Keogh R, Andrillon T, Pearson J.A cognitive profile of multi-sensory imagery, memory and dreaming in aphantasia.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):10022. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-65705-7Dance CJ, Jaquiery M, Eagleman DM, Porteous D, Zeman A, Simner J.What is the relationship between aphantasia, synaesthesia and autism?Consciousness and Cognition. 2021;89:103087. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103087Cohen M.The effectiveness of imagery interventions on the vocabulary learning of second grade students. NERA Conference Proceedings 2009. 2009;33.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Dance CJ, Ipser A, Simner J. The prevalence of aphantasia (Imagery weakness) in the general population.Consciousness and Cognition. 2022;97:103243. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103243Zeman A, Dewar M, Della Sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378–380. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019Zeman A, Dewar M, Della sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378-80. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019Keogh R, Pearson J.The blind mind: No sensory visual imagery in aphantasia.Cortex. 2018;105:53–60. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.012Zeman A, Milton F, Della Sala S, et al.Phantasia–The psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes.Cortex. 2020;130:426-440. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.003Dawes AJ, Keogh R, Andrillon T, Pearson J.A cognitive profile of multi-sensory imagery, memory and dreaming in aphantasia.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):10022. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-65705-7Dance CJ, Jaquiery M, Eagleman DM, Porteous D, Zeman A, Simner J.What is the relationship between aphantasia, synaesthesia and autism?Consciousness and Cognition. 2021;89:103087. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103087Cohen M.The effectiveness of imagery interventions on the vocabulary learning of second grade students. NERA Conference Proceedings 2009. 2009;33.

Dance CJ, Ipser A, Simner J. The prevalence of aphantasia (Imagery weakness) in the general population.Consciousness and Cognition. 2022;97:103243. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103243

Zeman A, Dewar M, Della Sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378–380. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019

Zeman A, Dewar M, Della sala S.Lives without imagery - Congenital aphantasia.Cortex. 2015;73:378-80. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019

Keogh R, Pearson J.The blind mind: No sensory visual imagery in aphantasia.Cortex. 2018;105:53–60. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.012

Zeman A, Milton F, Della Sala S, et al.Phantasia–The psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes.Cortex. 2020;130:426-440. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.003

Dawes AJ, Keogh R, Andrillon T, Pearson J.A cognitive profile of multi-sensory imagery, memory and dreaming in aphantasia.Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):10022. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-65705-7

Dance CJ, Jaquiery M, Eagleman DM, Porteous D, Zeman A, Simner J.What is the relationship between aphantasia, synaesthesia and autism?Consciousness and Cognition. 2021;89:103087. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103087

Cohen M.The effectiveness of imagery interventions on the vocabulary learning of second grade students. NERA Conference Proceedings 2009. 2009;33.

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