This review captures a decade of research and discovery following the coining of the terms "aphantasia" and "hyperphantasia" by Professor Adam Zeman, marking a significant period in the understanding of how people internally visualize imagery. Before this terminology was established, the phenomenon of experiencing little to no mental imagery (aphantasia) or having exceptionally vivid mental images (hyperphantasia) was largely unrecognized or misunderstood within psychological and neurological research. This research has underscored not just the variability among individuals in their capacity to visualize but also the implications for memory, perception, and possibly even personality and occupational tendencies.
Key findings have pointed to a genetic component, with these traits often running in families, suggesting an inheritable aspect to how vividly one can visualize mentally. This has opened up discussions about the broader genetic underpinnings of sensory and perceptual experiences. Moreover, investigations into the neural correlates of aphantasia and hyperphantasia have begun to reveal significant insights. Differences in neural connectivity, particularly between the frontoparietal and visual networks, have been identified, offering potential explanations for why some individuals experience vivid mental imagery while others do not.
This body of research over the past ten years has not only enriched our understanding of human cognitive diversity but also challenged assumptions about imagination, creativity, and how we internalize and represent our experiences and the world around us.
