Memory
People with aphantasia often encode and recall memories differently, without leaning on visual replay. This can mean real gaps, alongside strategies that work around them.
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When words paint the picture: accurate eyewitness IDs without visual imagery
Aphantasics showed improved lineup identification accuracy after providing verbal descriptions of a perpetrator. This suggests that individuals without mental imagery rely on verbal strategies to compensate for visual memory deficits.
Kleider-Offutt, H. M., & Meacham, A. M. (2026). When words paint the picture: accurate eyewitness ids without visual imagery. Psychology, Crime & Law, 1–23. doi:10.1080/1068316x.2026.2700782
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A case of Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) accompanied by highly frequent involuntary autobiographical memory
Researchers found that a 16-year-old with HSAM exhibited typical visual imagery vividness but significantly higher rates of involuntary memories. This suggests that superior memory may be driven by retrieval frequency rather than imagery ability.
Cleary, A. M., Okada, N., Bearden, D. J., Alfonso, D., Mills, C., Neisser, J., McNeely-White, K. L., Pedersen, N. P., & Drane, D. L. (2026). A case of highly superior autobiographical memory (hsam) accompanied by highly frequent involuntary autobiographical memory. Neurocase, 32(4), 152–166. doi:10.1080/13554794.2026.2701703
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The role of visual imagery and verbal coding in short-term memory conjunctive binding: evidence from aphantasia
Aphantasics performed as well as controls on feature-binding tasks even when verbal labeling was difficult. This suggests that mental imagery is not necessary for conjunctive binding, which likely relies on automatic mechanisms.
Delhaye, E., Fritz, P., Martial, C., & Bastin, C. (2026). The role of visual imagery and verbal coding in short-term memory conjunctive binding: evidence from aphantasia. Consciousness and Cognition, 141, 104036. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2026.104036
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Challenging dual-coding theory: Picture superiority effects persist in aphantasia
Aphantasic individuals showed a robust picture superiority effect and recalled symbols better than pictures. This challenges dual-coding theory by demonstrating that visual imagery is not essential for the memory advantages of image-based stimuli.
Yan, M., Roberts, B. R., & Bainbridge, W. A. (2026). Challenging dual-coding theory: picture superiority effects persist in aphantasia. Neuropsychologia, 225, 109391. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109391
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Aphantasia is associated with spatial memory and navigation difficulties in complex virtual environments
Visual imagery features centrally in many theories of spatial navigation, yet its contribution to wayfinding is unclear. Sea Hero Quest (SHQ), a navigation game for mobile devices that assesses spatial learning via visual maps and virtual environments, is well-suited to investigate the role of imagery in wayfinding. We examined if participants with aphantasia who report experiencing a lack of visual imagery would display greater difficulties navigating relative to controls on SHQ as demands on encoding complex visual information increase. Aphantasic participants (n=63, Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire <32) and controls (n=99, VVIQ=33-80) completed self-report measures of navigation, memory, and 8 SHQ levels varying in path complexity, destinations, and map characteristics. To estimate performance on the SHQ, trajectory length and completion time were normalised to thousands of controls (n=1203 to 246,329), comparable to each participant in terms of age and gender, and group difference and correlation analyses were conducted for self-report measures and SHQ metrics. Aphantasic participants scored significantly lower on self-report spatial and memory measures and took substantially more time than both control groups to complete high-difficulty levels, but not training or low-difficulty levels, relative to controls. Imagery ability was associated with performance on difficult levels as well as self-reported spatial ability and memory. Map viewing duration was not significantly associated with any variable. The findings indicate that visual imagery plays a central role in spatial navigation when recall of complex visual information is necessary. Wayfinding difficulties observed in the aphantasic individuals appear to be robust to alternative strategies, such as verbal encoding, which is unlikely sufficient to integrate across path length and circuitousness, decision points, and visibility factors that define environmental complexity.
Li, A., Coutrot, A., Faromika, T. I., Spiers, H. J., & Shayna Rosenbaum, R. (2026). Aphantasia is associated with spatial memory and navigation difficulties in complex virtual environments. Neuropsychologia, 109517. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109517
Article
Imagination Beyond Mental Images
Haiku is often called a visual snapshot, but as a poet with aphantasia, I see nothing in my mind's eye. For forty years, I thought "picturing it" was a metaphor. From childhood memory tricks to professional poetry, I’ve learned that a mind without images doesn't lack imagination—it just meets the world through a direct and powerful connection between attention, relationship, and the timing of perception.
recentlyby Mark Farrar
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Influences of mental imagery at different stages of Atkinson’s and Shiffrin’s modal model: Visual imagery is associated with enhanced iconic memory performance
People with aphantasia performed worse than non-aphantasics on iconic memory tasks but showed no difference in working memory. This suggests that mental imagery enhances early sensory processing and that iconic memory depends on top-down visual modulation.
Monzel, M., Yang, C., Plancher, G., Milton, F., & Reuter, M. (2026). Influences of mental imagery at different stages of atkinson’s and shiffrin’s modal model: visual imagery is associated with enhanced iconic memory performance. Cortex. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2026.04.011
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State but not trait measures of vividness relate to memory accuracy
Trial-by-trial mental imagery vividness significantly predicts memory accuracy for both visual and spatial changes across age groups. This suggests that while imagery influences episodic memory, it is not the sole mechanism driving performance.
Duckett, W., & Simons, J. S. (2026). State but not trait measures of vividness relate to memory accuracy. Neuropsychologia, 224, 109399. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109399
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Impact of aphantasia on identity and directive function of autobiographical memory
Aphantasics reported less frequent use of autobiographical memory for identity and directive purposes than controls. This suggests that a lack of mental imagery may alter how individuals utilize their personal past to guide future behavior and self-concept.
Wantzen, P., & Witt, A. (2026). Impact of aphantasia on identity and directive function of autobiographical memory. L’Année psychologique, Vol. 126(1), 55–73. doi:10.3917/anpsy1.261.0055
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Congenital aphantasia is not imagery blindsight
Researchers argue that congenital aphantasia is not "imagery blindsight" because individuals retain high-level accuracy and conscious access to information via non-visual routes. This suggests aphantasia involves a selective inability to format information into a quasi-visual experience.
Bartolomeo, P., & Arcangeli, M. (2026). Congenital aphantasia is not imagery blindsight. Cortex, 197, 112–114. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2026.02.009
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Remembering without mental imagery: A case study of aphantasia
A man with aphantasia showed memory deficits when tasks required visual reconstruction rather than verbal strategies. This indicates mental imagery is essential for episodic visual simulation and linking visual memory to emotions.
Guillaume, F., & Armand, C. (2026). Remembering without mental imagery: a case study of aphantasia. L’Année psychologique, Vol. 126(1), 27–54. doi:10.3917/anpsy1.261.0027
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Emotion may indirectly link rendering and social reasoning
Researchers propose that visual imagery links to social reasoning and autobiographical memory indirectly through emotional activation. This suggests that "graphical rendering" in the mind serves as a vital building block for emotional and social processing.
Balaban, H., & Ullman, T. D. (2026). Emotion may indirectly link rendering and social reasoning. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.12.009
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Rendering aphantasia into the social realm
Aphantasia is linked to reduced autobiographical memory richness and lower emotional reactivity to narratives. This suggests that mental imagery plays a key role in social cognition by helping individuals recollect and share personal experiences.
Zeman, A., Digard, B., Happé, F., Levine, B., & Monzel, M. (2026). Rendering aphantasia into the social realm. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.11.014
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The role of subjective interoception in autobiographical deficits in aphantasia
People with aphantasia report significantly lower interceptive awareness and emotional engagement with bodily signals. This suggests that mental imagery plays a key role in linking internal bodily states to the recall of personal memories.
Monzel, M., Nagai, Y., & Silvanto, J. (2025). The role of subjective interoception in autobiographical deficits in aphantasia. Scientific Reports, 15(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-23270-x
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“Unseen strategies” what can the experience of Aphantasia teach us about cognitive strategies in memory?
Aphantasics use compensatory strategies like semantic reliance, condensed inner speech, and external recoding to manage memory and imagery deficits. This suggests that individuals naturally develop non-visual cognitive workarounds to navigate daily life effectively.
Hayes, S. J., Miles, G. E., & Evans, S.-A. (2026). “unseen strategies” what can the experience of aphantasia teach us about cognitive strategies in memory?. New Ideas in Psychology, 80, 101215. doi:/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2025.101215
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“I just see nothing. It’s literally just black”: a qualitative investigation into congenital aphantasia
A qualitative study found that congenital aphantasia impacts autobiographical memory, facial recognition, and orientation in everyday life. This highlights how the absence of voluntary visual imagery can influence broader cognitive domains and personal identity.
Pounder, Z., Agosto, G., Mackenzie, J.-M., & Cheshire, A. (2025). “i just see nothing. it’s literally just black”: a qualitative investigation into congenital aphantasia. Cogent Psychology, 12(1). doi:/10.1080/23311908.2025.2574255