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Mental Rotation Tasks: The Surprising Advantage of Aphantasia

Discover how people with aphantasia excel at mental rotation despite having no visual imagery. Complete these mental rotation tasks and explore the fascinating cognitive differences.
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mental rotation
Photo by Esther Jiao on Unsplash

Table of Contents

What Are Mental Rotation Tasks?

Mental rotation tasks involve rotating mental representations of objects in your mind – a crucial cognitive skill used in spatial reasoning and everyday problem-solving.

You use mental rotation when:

  • Solving puzzles or playing Tetris
  • Reading maps and determining which direction to turn
  • Figuring out if luggage will fit in your car trunk
  • Imagining how furniture would look rearranged in a room

Some leading researchers studying aphantasia have used mental rotation tasks to better understand how the visual processing system may differ in the brain of aphantasics, with surprising conclusions.

How Mental Rotation Works: The Standard Process

Traditional mental rotation research suggests these cognitive stages:

  1. Create a mental image of the object
  2. Rotate the object mentally clockwise or counterclockwise
  3. Compare it to another object
  4. Decide if the objects match
  5. Record your decision and completion time

Scientists Roger Shepard and Jacqueline Metzler developed the first standardized mental rotation test in 1971. Modern versions still follow their approach: present a 2D or 3D object alongside similar objects, then ask participants to identify which matches the original when rotated.

Try These Mental Rotation Tasks Yourself

Important Note: These tasks alone don't diagnose aphantasia. Researchers typically combine them with other measures like the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) and binocular rivalry tests.

Task 1: 2D Mental Rotation

Instructions: Which of the three 2D objects matches the first object when rotated?

Record your answer and completion time.

Mental Rotation Task 1
Answers at the bottom.

Task 2: 3D Mental Rotation

Instructions: Which of the four 3D objects matches the first one when rotated?

After completing this task, reflect on your cognitive strategy. Did you visualize the rotation, or use a different approach?

Mental Rotation Task 2
Answers are at the bottom.

Task 3: Complex 3D Mental Rotation with Folds

Instructions: Which of the five colorful 3D objects matches the first one when folded and rotated?

Record your answer, completion time, and cognitive strategy insights.

Mental rotation task 3
Answers at the bottom

The Aphantasia Advantage: Surprising Research Results

Here’s where it gets interesting: people with aphantasia actually perform better on mental rotation tasks!

This finding seems counterintuitive. If mental rotation requires visualization (stages 1-2 above), how can people who can’t visualize excel at these tasks?

The Case of Patient MX: Groundbreaking Discovery

Professor Adam Zeman’s research at the University of Exeter revealed fascinating insights through patient MX, who lost his ability to generate visual images but performed normally on visual perception and memory tests.

Key findings:

  • MX completed mental rotation tasks perfectly despite having no visual imagery
  • fMRI scans showed reduced activity in posterior brain regions
  • Increased activity in frontal brain regions compared to controls
  • People with aphantasia average more correct answers on mental rotation tasks
  • Completion times are typically longer but accuracy is higher
Patient MX Mental Rotation Results
Mean correct response time on mental rotation for Patient MX and five matched controls.

Alternative Cognitive Strategies in Aphantasia

Non-aphants might visualize the object and rotate it inside their mind to see if they can make it match one of the other objects. This means they rely primarily on the visual circuitry in their brain to complete such tasks. Cognitive stages 1 to 5 above do a good job of describing the average person’s mental model when completing these tasks.

The aphantasic brain, however, is far from average.

How do people without visual imagery complete visual rotation tasks? The aphantasic brain uses different cognitive strategies that don’t rely on conscious visualization.

Possible alternative strategies might incude:

  • Logical reasoning about object properties
  • Systematic analysis of angles and relationships
  • Unconscious visual processing without conscious awareness
  • Spatial reasoning without mental imagery

This challenges traditional assumptions about the connection between visual imagery and spatial reasoning abilities.

What These Cognitive Differences Mean

These findings suggest that visual imagery ability and spatial imagery as evidenced by mental rotation performance can be separate cognitive functions. This discovery raises important questions:

  • How does spatial processing differ in aphantasic brains?
  • What alternative problem-solving strategies do they use?
  • How can we apply these insights to improve cognitive abilities?

Factors Affecting Mental Rotation Performance

Remember that many factors influence mental rotation results beyond aphantasia:

  • Age and cognitive development
  • Sex differences in spatial processing
  • Overall spatial skills and experience
  • Practice with similar tasks
  • Attention and concentration levels

Test Your Mental Rotation Abilities

Try these tasks with friends and compare results. You might discover that:

  • Aphantasic individuals often score higher overall
  • Completion times vary between cognitive strategies
  • Different approaches can be equally effective

For more mental rotation practice, search online for additional examples, but remember these tasks aren’t definitive aphantasia diagnostics.

The Bigger Picture: Rethinking Mental Imagery

This research fundamentally challenges how we understand the relationship between conscious visual imagery and spatial cognition. It suggests that:

  • Multiple cognitive pathways can achieve the same results
  • Conscious visualization isn’t always necessary for “visual” tasks
  • The brain’s flexibility in problem-solving exceeds our expectations
  • Individual cognitive differences deserve more research attention

How Do You Perform on the Mental Rotation Tasks?

We’d love to hear about your mental rotation experience! Share in the comments:

  1. Your task answers and completion times
  2. Insights into your cognitive strategy
  3. How your approach compares to friends or family

Let’s explore the fascinating diversity of human cognition together!

Mental Rotation Task Answers

  • Task 1 (2D): Answer 1
  • Task 2 (3D): Answers 1 and 4
  • Task 3 (3D with folds): Answers 1 and 2

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    • References
    Zeman, A. Z. J., Della Sala, S., Torrens, L. A., Gountouna, V.-E., McGonigle, D. J., & Logie, R. H. (2010). Loss of imagery phenomenology with intact visuo-spatial task performance: a case of ‘blind imagination’. Neuropsychologia, 48(1), 145–155. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.08.024
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    Total Comments (9)
    Andrew Ince
    on April 29, 2025

    They took seconds to do;
    With no thought of imagery to do it;
    How do people use that?
    1) clockwise from open edge is circle, blue orange; as was the first answer offering.
    2) looking at it the 3D view popped out;
    Purple blue orange into the shape on a surface.
    2 and 3 had a differently bent shape; and all the colours were the same.
    The question said only 1 was matched (used “is”); so a little while was spent looking for the error; as I assumed it was not in the question.
    (=> “Which of the 4 match the first?”)
    3) first glance showed only 3 faces in answer; so must compare answers; rather than learn question.
    Answer 1 has green and blue faces L-R across the nearest point.
    Answer 1 and 2 match the shape folded to see the shown surface; and 4 matches folded the other way (if it’s a 2 sided printing).
    Having a clear error and not saying if the flat shape is single or double side printed is wrong!

    Andrew Ince
    on April 29, 2025

    First reply lost; quick retry.
    I’m like MX but can see ‘Magic Eye’ etc.
    so 3D for not require “Minds Eye”!
    It’s ’my Eye’ that I assume is moved to help it interpret what it sees; and (developed by extra use) Logic.

    Val K
    on October 11, 2023

    I suspect I have aphantasia, and I have the same experience as the previous commenter. I can figure out the 2D puzzles somewhat easily by describing them (i.e., for #3, I can see that the red triangle is connected to an orange square, which leads me to answer 2, same for the purple triangle and blue square).

    I can’t speak for everyone but my brain is certainly not secretly conjuring up images and then popping out answers for me—I am consciously arriving at the answer in a different way.

    For the record, the 3D one took me quite an while—all the colors are in the same order on all the answers. I found the answers using directions: i.e., the upper purple cube is pointing south, with the lower arm branching away from it to the west. In 2 and 3, I can see that it branches to the east.

    R Reuter
    on October 9, 2023

    “The primary evidence supporting this claim is the fact that there are people with aphantasia who have no conscious experience of mental imagery whatsoever (exhibit A: patient MX), and at least some of them are capable of performing tasks that are assumed to require the manipulation of visual imagery – such as the case with mental rotation tasks.” Aphantasic here. I find this “evidence” really falls short and implies that “obviously” those who believe that they have no visual imagery actually do have it, but are somehow incapable of realizing it. This reminds me of how, when I first discovered that I was aphantasic, several people tried to explain to me that I just wasn’t properly understanding what was meant by visual imagery. Pfft. Anyway, I can figure out the rotated images by simply describing them to myself. For example: The small orange circle is across from the large purple circle, and the large purple circle is to the right of the solid turquoise circle (because I view it as the circles “facing” me). Of course, the more complex the image, the more description I need, and the longer it will take me to figure out the rotation, which is consistent with the study results.

    Eraina von Stauffen
    on June 11, 2023

    I have aphantasia. Enjoyed the exercise and was able to discern the correct answers. I am also a highly sensitive person and recently read that HSP is not found in people with aphantasia. I find this finding puzzling.

    Mark Hobson
    on December 24, 2022

    I have aphantasia (born) but I’m rather good with mental rotations and other things.

    The idea of being able to unconsciously see images is an interesting one.

    I feel however that I’m using other tricks in order to do things.

    For example, in no. 2 you can just count 3 from the purple, go down a right angle, make a right angle to the right, then another right angle down 1 in line. You can just trace this patterns for each shape to see if it matches.

    In no 3. you can just go from either triangle then down and make sure the colour matches, then left and make sure the colour matches.

    What’s interesting is spatial awareness. I can look at the room I’m in. I see a wardrobe and a door and a bedside table. I close my eyes and it’s gone completely. But I remember aspects of the objects. The shape and size of the objects, the distance between them. I can draw like a wireframe of all the objects and superimpose the objects onto it, I cannot see the wireframe or the objects but I’m aware of what such a picture would look like given their rough relative sizes and distances apart. I’m aware of some of the properties of the objects such as some colour, features, etc but only from what I remember.

    This would actually be an interesting test to take. To look at a simple room then try to draw it. I reckon the relative sizes and shapes of the objects would be rather accurate, some details would be rather accurate but then other details would be lost completely in a way that wouldn’t happen with someone who could hold the image in their head better.

     

    Voc LeBrouw
    on August 26, 2021

    Shouldn’t the last task (“MR Task 3 (3D)”) also include number 5 as an answer?
    -If, starting from the unfolded state as in picture number 1, you were to fold the purple lid towards the viewer, perpendicular onto the blue square, wrapped the green and orange around that, and folded the red lid on the bottom, you’d have a purple triangle on top, with the blue square as a successor of the green square when traversing the squares clockwise when viewed from upon the purple square

    Anyway, very interesting post. What a strange, but very cool website!

    Hope Scoles
    on June 10, 2021

    I definitely fall into the hyperphantasia category but my eyes have almost zero depth perception. Thus spatial relations is a nightmare for me and these 2D and 3D exercises were always my worst enemies. The only strategy I have is to try to use pictures in my head to move the objects but I can’t do it quickly. I hated timed tests with any spatial relations testing.

    I agree that hyperphantasia is a bit of a curse. I saw a movie as a child about a rampaging grizzly bear (I still remember it was called Night of the Grizzly and I don’t recommend it!) I vividly remember the movie now at age 63. I have learned to avoid horror movies and even scary cartoons. 

    So…. I wonder if hyperphantasia contributes to phobias? I bet it does! 

    Stephen Waterman
    on June 8, 2021

    Thanks, interesting to have a name for my life experiences.  I think you might be underestimating the number of people with it.  I sat in several hundred IEP’s for children (special education meetings) and recognized many whose struggles in school -particularly with spelling and memorizing sight words – were similar to my own struggles.  

    It affects my ability to draw a mental picture from a written description of eg. a room when reading a book, and my ability to recognize individuals in movies if say two of the characters are even remotely similar in looks.

    Lisa Brunetti
    on May 23, 2021

    Great test, and I first thought, ‘This is a trick.  There are two that seem to fit…’ — and moved to the final one and suspected the same.  So I went back and rechecked and came to the same conclusions.   

    Thanks for giving us a little mental challenge!