Congenital lack and extraordinary ability in object and spatial imagery: An investigation on sub-types of aphantasia and hyperphantasia

DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103360

Palermo, L., Boccia, M., Piccardi, L., & Nori, R. (2022). Congenital lack and extraordinary ability in object and spatial imagery: an investigation on sub-types of aphantasia and hyperphantasia. Consciousness and Cognition, 103, 103360. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2022.103360

Abstract

This study explores different subtypes of aphantasia and hyperphantasia, conditions related to variations in mental imagery. The study collected data on various aspects of mental imagery, including spatial and object imagery, as well as memory and face recognition abilities. Results showed a distinction between two subtypes of aphantasia/hyperphantasia, with spatial aphantasia associated with difficulties in spatial imagery and sense of direction, while object aphantasia was linked to difficulties in imaging single items and events. The opposite pattern was found in spatial and object hyperphantasia. The study also found that associative involuntary imagery can be preserved in aphantasia. This suggests that although individuals with aphantasia may have difficulties with visualizing objects or events, they are still able to experience involuntary imagery, such as images that come to mind without intentional effort. Evidently, more than one type of aphantasia and hyperphantasia exists and this study highlights the importance of considering multiple aspects when investigating these conditions.

Authors

Liana Palermo1
Maddalena Boccia1
Laura Piccardi1
Raffaella Nori1

What This Study Is About

Researchers wanted to understand if aphantasia—the inability to create mental images—affects all types of imagination equally. They specifically looked at the difference between "object imagery" (picturing colors, shapes, and details) and "spatial imagery" (understanding where things are in space and how they relate to each other).

How They Studied It

The study involved 100 participants: 50 people with aphantasia and 50 "typical" imagers. Participants completed several questionnaires and tasks that measured their ability to imagine objects, faces, and layouts. They also took a "Color Imagery Task" where they had to decide which of two fruits or vegetables (shown in black and white) is naturally darker in color—a task that often triggers an automatic mental image.

What They Found

The researchers discovered that aphantasia is not a total loss of all "mental maps." While people with aphantasia struggled significantly with object imagery (like picturing a friend's face or the color of a tomato), their spatial imagery remained intact. They were just as good as typical imagers at tasks involving navigation, sense of direction, and mental rotation (the ability to turn an object around in your mind to see it from a different angle).

What This Might Mean

This suggests that the brain uses two different "tracks" for imagination. Aphantasia seems to primarily affect the "what" track (details and colors) rather than the "where" track (space and movement). This helps explain why someone might not be able to "see" their kitchen in their mind but can still walk through it in the dark without bumping into anything. However, because this study relied partly on self-reporting, more research using brain scans is needed to confirm these separate pathways.

One Interesting Detail

Even though they couldn't "see" the colors in their minds, people with aphantasia were just as accurate as everyone else at identifying which vegetables were darker. This suggests they might be using "involuntary" or non-visual knowledge to solve problems that others solve by looking at a mental picture.

Congenital lack and extraordinary ability in object and spatial imagery: An investigation on sub-types of aphantasia and hyperphantasia

Abstract

Authors

Congenital lack and extraordinary ability in object and spatial imagery: An investigation on sub-types of aphantasia and hyperphantasia

Abstract

Authors

Congenital lack and extraordinary ability in object and spatial imagery: An investigation on sub-types of aphantasia and hyperphantasia

Abstract

Authors

What This Study Is About

How They Studied It

What They Found

What This Might Mean

One Interesting Detail

Congenital lack and extraordinary ability in object and spatial imagery: An investigation on sub-types of aphantasia and hyperphantasia

Abstract

Authors

What This Study Is About

How They Studied It

What They Found

What This Might Mean

One Interesting Detail

What This Study Is About

How They Studied It

What They Found

What This Might Mean

One Interesting Detail

What This Study Is About

How They Studied It

What They Found

What This Might Mean

One Interesting Detail

Joel Pearson

Merlin Monzel

Adam Zeman

Rebecca Keogh

Martin Reuter

Juha Silvanto

Carla Dance

Paolo Bartolomeo

Jianghao Liu

Fraser Milton

Joel Pearson

Merlin Monzel

Adam Zeman

Rebecca Keogh

Martin Reuter

Juha Silvanto

Carla Dance

Paolo Bartolomeo

Jianghao Liu

Fraser Milton