Multimodal Mental Imagery Profiles and the Prevalence of Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia in the General Population

Abstract

This study investigates aphantasia (absence of voluntary mental imagery) and hyperphantasia (extremely vivid imagery) across multiple sensory modalities in nearly 2,000 UK participants aged 18-30. Unlike previous research focused primarily on visual imagery, this comprehensive study examined eight modalities, visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, gustatory, olfactory, interoceptive, and vocal imagery, and additionally offers a preliminary exploration of emotional imagery within the same framework. Key findings reveal that 13.9% of participants exhibited aphantasia in at least one modality, substantially higher than previous visual-only estimates of 3-4%. Hyperphantasia in at least one modality was even more prevalent at 21.1%. The study identified a hierarchy of vulnerability, with chemosensory modalities most frequently affected, followed by tactile and kinesthetic modalities, while auditory imagery showed the lowest aphantasia prevalence. Notably, 59.2% of individuals with aphantasia experienced reduced imagery across multiple modalities, suggesting shared neurobiological mechanisms rather than isolated sensory deficits. This research also revealed unexpected gender differences, with women significantly overrepresented in certain types of aphantasia, particularly interoceptive and auditory, though not in visual aphantasia. Participants with aphantasia exhibited significantly higher rates of neurological or psychiatric disorders, and were also more likely to report neurodevelopmental conditions. These findings challenge traditional conceptualizations of aphantasia as primarily a visual phenomenon, instead framing it as a complex multisensory variation in cognitive functioning that warrants broader clinical and research attention.