The Aphantasia-Hyperphantasia spectrum

Abstract

Research into imagery vividness in recent year has been predominantly about the difference between aphantasics and the rest of us (or, more rarely, between hyperphantasics and the rest of us). But differences in imagery vividness have great impact on a number of important psychological phenomena in non-aphantasics as well. Hence, instead of the binary focus on aphantasics vs. the rest of us, more attention should be devoted to how differences along the aphantasia-hyperphantasia spectrum correspond to other gradual differences, in decision-making, emotion-regulation, cravings, mental health issues and so on.