Back to all research

Definition: Aphantasia

DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.07.019
Tags:
Auditory AphantasiaCongenital AphantasiaAcquired Aphantasia
7 more
Zeman, A., Monzel, M., Pearson, J., Scholz, C. O., & Simner, J. (2025). Definition: aphantasia. Cortex, 182, 212–213. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2024.07.019

Authors

  • Adam Zeman14
  • Merlin Monzel23
  • Joel Pearson28
  • Christian O. Scholz4
  • Julia Simner8

Defining Aphantasia: Understanding the Absence of Mental Imagery

Overview/Introduction

This research article provides a comprehensive definition of aphantasia—the inability to form mental images in one's mind. Authored by an international team of leading researchers including Adam Zeman, Merlin Monzel, Joel Pearson, Christian O. Scholz, and Julia Simner, the work establishes formal terminology and criteria for understanding this intriguing cognitive variation. The article addresses the absence or near-absence of sensory imagery, primarily focusing on visual imagery but extending to other sensory modalities as well. By clarifying the boundaries and proper terminology for aphantasia and related conditions, the research team provides essential foundational definitions for the scientific community studying individual differences in mental imagery. This definitional work is crucial for advancing our understanding of how people experience—or don't experience—the inner world of imagination, and it lays the groundwork for future investigations into the neural mechanisms, prevalence, and implications of living without a "mind's eye."

Core Definition

Aphantasia primarily refers to the inability to visualize — to form mental images with sensory qualities while fully awake. This is distinct from merely "thinking about" something; it specifically means lacking the ability to create a sensory representation in one's mind (e.g., seeing an apple in your "mind's eye").

Two Types of Imagery Affected

  1. Deliberate imagery: Inability to create images on command (e.g., when instructed to "visualize an apple")
  1. Spontaneous imagery: Inability to automatically form images (e.g., not visualizing scenes while reading a novel)Notably, imagery during dreams or while falling asleep is often preserved in people with aphantasia. Notably, imagery during dreams or while falling asleep is often preserved in people with aphantasia.
Notably, imagery during dreams or while falling asleep is often preserved in people with aphantasia.

Origins

Aphantasia can be:
  • Congenital: Present from birth, though often not identified until adulthood
  • Acquired: Resulting from neurological or psychiatric injury or disorder

Terminology and Scope

The article clarifies important distinctions in labeling:
  • Visual aphantasia: Specific to visual imagery (some researchers prefer limiting "aphantasia" to this)
  • Auditory aphantasia (or "anauralia"): Absence of auditory imagery
  • Multisensory aphantasia: Affects several, but not all, sensory modalities
  • Global aphantasia: Affects all sensory modalities
  • Hyperphantasia: The opposite condition — imagery so vivid it rivals actual perception
Historical clinical terms for acquired aphantasia include "defective revisualisation" and "visual irreminiscence."
The authors note that aphantasia frequently extends beyond just visual imagery to affect other senses, which is why the broader application of the term is common in research and clinical practice.