Aphantasia, hyperphantasia and sensory imagery in a multi-cultural sample

Abstract

Sensory imagery, such as visual imagery, is assumed to be a universal cognitive ability. However, research on cross-cultural studies of visual imagery experiences is lacking. Moreover, most research has focused on visual imagery, as opposed to other sensory imagery. Visual imagery presents with a large degree of individual variability and includes two extreme forms, aphantasia and hyperphantasia. This study investigated sensory imagery in a multi-cultural sample. Participants (N = 636) completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) scale and the Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire (Psi-Q). Altogether, 5.0% of participants fell within the aphantasia range and 12.1% within the hyperphantasia range. No significant VVIQ differences were observed for gender, age, occupation, or education. VVIQ scores positively correlated with all Psi-Q imagery scales, suggesting interdependence across sensory modalities. To explore cultural differences, participants were divided into five cultural groups: (1) Western Educated Industrialized Rich & Democratic (WEIRD) (n = 89); (2) Southeast Asia (SEA, n = 121); (3) South Asia (n = 180); (4) Middle East and North Africa (MENA, n = 86), and (5) Arabian Gulf (AG, n = 43). WEIRD and SEA participants reported significantly higher levels of visual and sensory imagery than MENA and AG participants. This study contributes novel prevalence data for aphantasia and hyperphantasia in an ethnically and culturally diverse sample, emphasizing the importance of including non-WEIRD populations in research on sensory imagery.