Topic: Memory

People with aphantasia navigate a unique cognitive landscape, employing distinct methods for encoding and retrieving memories compared to those who visualize vividly. This unique approach to memory can lead to both potential advantages and certain challenges. For individuals with aphantasia, forming and recalling memories often doesn’t involve visual imagery, leading to the development of alternative, sometimes innovative, memory strategies. This can offer unique perspectives and problem-solving abilities. However, it can also present certain deficits, particularly in remembering past experiences, where visual recollection often plays a key role. To delve deeper into the intriguing interplay between aphantasia and memory, discover these resources. They explore the nuances of how aphantasia affects the way individuals recall their past, process their present experiences, and envision their future, offering a comprehensive view of this fascinating cognitive phenomenon.

I live without mental imagery—no pictures, no imagined sounds. But my world is rich in emotion, intuition, and presence. I parent, create, and heal by tuning into what I feel, not what I see. It’s a different way of experiencing life—and it’s deeply meaningful in its own quiet, grounded way.
Have you ever described a memory in vivid detail despite seeing nothing in your mind? It raises a fascinating question: could our brains be processing images... we just can't consciously access?
Since 2015, "aphantasia" has reshaped our understanding of imagination, revealing that not everyone visualizes mentally. This discovery, along with "hyperphantasia," highlights the diverse nature of human imagination.
In July 1963, Alice Grebanier's observation of a total solar eclipse marked a pivotal moment in her life. This event, merging scientific discovery with profound reflections on memory and emotion, showcases how moments of discovery can eclipse the limitations of memory recall in aphantasia.
People with aphantasia may struggle with memory recall. This may be because our memories are image-free. But, just because we can't see our memories, does that mean we don't have them? The ability to visualize is not a prerequisite for remembering rich experiences.
New research from the University of Bonn reveals how aphantasia affects memory, particularly when remembering the past. The study of 30 participants found that people with aphantasia experience significant challenges in recalling autobiographical memories.
Whether you’re an aphant or a visualizer, marriage, or any loving partnership, is about commitment. Among other things, commitment means respecting each other’s differences and working through them lovingly.
We’re not — aphants don’t see the world the way most people do. Our brains work differently.
How do you support someone when they suddenly realize they've been blind their whole life? What about when it's a blindness most of the world has never heard of and many don't believe exists? It's called aphantasia. Let's talk.
When I learned that I had aphantasia and that my husband of 40 years has hyperphantasia, it gave the idea “opposites attract” a whole new meaning.
January 8, 2025
As I learn more about Aphantasia from all your posts I have new questions. So a few days ago I wondered if I'd be able to picture my face after staring ...
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October 17, 2024
When I found that I most likely have Aphantasia, it all clicked. As a kid when people told me to imagine… and would continue to tell stories I would be...
September 7, 2024
I’m 66 years old. I’ve become aware of increased memory difficulties in the past few years. This is of concern, particularly because Alzheimer’s disease run...
September 1, 2024
I'm curious about the distinction between whether my brain is capable of visuals yet my conscious mind finds it inaccessible, versus whether no part of ...
June 18, 2024
I have total congenital aphantasia but my facial recognition is off the charts. My family and friends are continually amazed by my ability to “never forget ...
February 14, 2024
I wonder if my mind just prefers to process the raw data from my memory without bothering to reconstruct the pictures. Clearly the memory is there or I woul...
May 22, 2023
A few days ago i came to realise that i’m pretty sure i have aphantasia and since i’ve done much research. i’ve always thought that my mind was ‘normal’ but ...
March 23, 2023
I have been conducting my own ‘research’ and seem to have stumbled on something. I would have thought that if people can really see with their mind eye they ...
March 21, 2023
There is a lot of stuff on the internet about not being able to visualize at will or at all. However, I have never seen this as a major issue for me since I ...
December 17, 2022
In this article: https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-the-brain-distinguishes-memories-from-perceptions-20221214/ the neurology of visual perception vs memory ...
What if everything you thought you knew about creativity was wrong? In this exclusive interview, the scientist who discovered aphantasia unveils the "new science of imagination" and explains why the ability to picture things in your mind might not be as essential to human creativity as we once believed. Prepare to have your understanding of the mind completely transformed.
May 7, 2025
How do aphantasics relive their memories and do these differences show up in their brains? Researcher Merlin Monzel joins Aphantasia Network to share new findings on aphantasia and memory.
April 30, 2024
One of the most striking findings from Dr. Levine's research is the significant overlap between aphantasia and SDAM. This connection makes intuitive sense, as normal autobiographical memory is heavily visual for most people.
December 14, 2022
Wilma Bainbridge shares insight into how we can use drawings to uncover what's inside the memory of people with aphantasia in this presentation from the 2021 Extreme Imagination Conference.
October 23, 2021
Brian Levine explores the relationship between autobiographical memory and visual imagery in this presentation from the 2021 Extreme Imagination Conference.
October 21, 2021