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No clear evidence of a difference between individuals who self-report an absence of auditory imagery and typical imagers on auditory imagery tasks

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300219
Pounder, Z., Eardley, A. F., Loveday, C., & Evans, S. (2024). No clear evidence of a difference between individuals who self-report an absence of auditory imagery and typical imagers on auditory imagery tasks. PLOS ONE, 19(4), e0300219. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0300219

Abstract

Aphantasia is characterised by the inability to create mental images in one’s mind. Studies investigating impairments in imagery typically focus on the visual domain. However, it is possible to generate many different forms of imagery including imagined auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, motor, taste and other experiences. Recent studies show that individuals with aphantasia report a lack of imagery in modalities, other than vision, including audition. However, to date, no research has examined whether these reductions in self-reported auditory imagery are associated with decrements in tasks that require auditory imagery. Understanding the extent to which visual and auditory imagery deficits co-occur can help to better characterise the core deficits of aphantasia and provide an alternative perspective on theoretical debates on the extent to which imagery draws on modality-specific or modality-general processes. In the current study, individuals that self-identified as being aphantasic and matched control participants with typical imagery performed two tasks: a musical pitch-based imagery and voice-based categorisation task. The majority of participants with aphantasia self-reported significant deficits in both auditory and visual imagery. However, we did not find a concomitant decrease in performance on tasks which require auditory imagery, either in the full sample or only when considering those participants that reported significant deficits in both domains. These findings are discussed in relation to the mechanisms that might obscure observation of imagery deficits in auditory imagery tasks in people that report reduced auditory imagery.

Authors

  • Zoë Pounder6
  • Alison F. Eardley3
  • Catherine Loveday2
  • Samuel Evans2

Understanding Aphantasia and Auditory Imagery

Overview/Introduction

Aphantasia is a condition where individuals cannot create mental images, often focusing on visual imagery. However, imagery can also be auditory, tactile, or even related to taste and movement. Recent studies suggest that people with aphantasia may also lack imagery in these non-visual domains, particularly auditory imagery. This study explores whether self-reported deficits in auditory imagery among aphantasic individuals affect their performance on tasks requiring auditory imagery.

Methodology

Researchers recruited 29 individuals who self-identified as aphantasic and 30 control participants with typical imagery abilities. Participants completed two tasks: a musical pitch-based imagery task and a voice-based categorization task. These tasks were designed to assess the participants' ability to imagine sounds and categorize voices, respectively. The study also used questionnaires to measure self-reported auditory and visual imagery vividness.

Key Findings

  • Self-Reported Deficits: Most aphantasic participants reported significant deficits in both auditory and visual imagery.
  • Task Performance: Despite these self-reports, aphantasic individuals did not perform worse than controls on auditory imagery tasks. There was no significant difference in their ability to imagine musical pitches or categorize voices.
  • Correlation: There was a correlation between self-reported auditory and visual imagery vividness, suggesting that these imagery abilities might share common processes.

Implications

  • Understanding Aphantasia: The study suggests that self-reported imagery deficits in aphantasia do not necessarily translate to measurable performance deficits in auditory tasks. This raises questions about the nature of imagery and its role in cognitive processes.
  • Imagery Across Modalities: The findings imply that aphantasia might involve a general reduction in imagery vividness rather than a complete absence, possibly affecting multiple sensory modalities.
  • Future Research: Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms behind these findings and to investigate other non-visual imagery domains in aphantasia.

Limitations

  • Sample Size: The study's sample size was relatively small, which might limit the generalizability of the findings.
  • Task Sensitivity: The tasks used might not have been sensitive enough to detect subtle differences in auditory imagery abilities.
  • Recruitment Bias: Participants were recruited based on self-identified visual imagery deficits, which might not fully represent those with auditory imagery deficits.
In conclusion, while individuals with aphantasia report deficits in auditory imagery, this study found no evidence of reduced performance on auditory tasks. This suggests that the relationship between self-reported imagery experiences and actual task performance is complex and warrants further investiga...