Visual Aphantasia
Visual aphantasia is the most common form of aphantasia, characterized by the inability to create voluntary mental images - an 'image-free imagination' or absence of the 'mind's eye.' Individuals with visual aphantasia cannot visualize objects, people, or scenes, though they fully understand and recognize them. Studies suggest that many with visual aphantasia also experience reduced imagery in other senses, indicating a higher likelihood of multisensory aphantasia. Like other forms, visual aphantasia can be congenital (present from birth) or acquired. While it affects visual imagination, it doesn't impair creativity, memory, learning or general cognition - rather, it represents a different way of processing visual information. On this page, you'll find aphantasia research, personal stories, and community discussions about visual aphantasia.
Pupil changes to voluntary and involuntary visual imagery: A unified paradigm with implications for aphantasia research
Researchers found that pupil constriction occurs during both voluntary and involuntary imagery but does not correlate with self-reported vividness. This underscores the need for objective physiological tools to reliably assess aphantasia.
Vanbuckhave, C., Huson, N., Lœvenbruck, H., Guyader, N., & Chauvin, A. (2026). Pupil changes to voluntary and involuntary visual imagery: a unified paradigm with implications for aphantasia research. Neuropsychologia, 223, 109378. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109378
Multimodal mental comparisons in those with and without aphantasia
People with aphantasia were more accurate but slower than controls on multimodal mental comparison tasks. This suggests that sensory cognition can be successfully achieved through propositional rather than imagistic strategies.
Suggate, S. P., Milton, F., & Tree, J. (2026). Multimodal mental comparisons in those with and without aphantasia. Neuropsychologia, 222, 109373. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109373
Rendering aphantasia into the social realm
Aphantasia is linked to factual autobiographical memory and reduced empathy for verbal narratives. This suggests that mental imagery is a key component of social cognition and our ability to share 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
An inwardly focused cognitive style links mental imagery and mental health
Mental imagery vividness is part of an inwardly focused cognitive style linked to interoception and mindfulness. This trait mediates the relationship between imagery and mental health by shaping emotional awareness and regulation.
Kvamme, T. L., Rutiku, R., Wierzchoń, M., Griskova-Bulanova, I., Fardo, F., Barzykowski, K., Sandberg, K., & Silvanto, J. (2026). An inwardly focused cognitive style links mental imagery and mental health. Heliyon, 12(2), e44433. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e44433
Alexander of Aphrodisias: The Ancient Philosopher Who Mapped Mental Imagery
This piece explores recently published philosophical research on Alexander of Aphrodisias (c. 200 AD) and its relevance to understanding aphantasia. While ancient philosophers couldn't have known about cognitive diversity as we understand it today, their assumptions about universal mental processes help us appreciate how differently minds can work.
Aphantasia and Motor Imagery: A Step Further in Understanding Imagery and its Role in Motor Cognition
Aphantasics showed reduced right-brain activation and increased left middle frontal gyrus activity during motor imagery. This suggests they use compensatory semantic strategies, indicating mental imagery is not essential for motor cognition.
Peruski, A. (2026). Aphantasia and motor imagery: a step further in understanding imagery and its role in motor cognition. Journal of Neurophysiology. doi:10.1152/jn.00608.2025
Unsupervised clustering reveals spatial and verbal cognitive profiles in aphantasia and typical imagery
Researchers identified two aphantasia subgroups: "spatialisers" with high spatial imagery and "verbalisers" with high verbal reliance. This shows aphantasia is a heterogeneous condition that requires a multidimensional cognitive framework.
Delem, M., Turkben, S., Cavalli, E., Cousineau, D., & Plancher, G. (2025). Unsupervised clustering reveals spatial and verbal cognitive profiles in aphantasia and typical imagery. Neuropsychologia, 219, 109279. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109279
Varieties of aphantasia
Aphantasia is a heterogeneous condition with distinct subtypes involving voluntary imagery, sensory modalities, and spatial versus object details. This diversity suggests that monolithic definitions hinder accurate diagnosis and research.
Nanay, B. (2025). Varieties of aphantasia. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 29(11), 965–966. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.06.008
Physics versus graphics as an organizing dichotomy in cognition
Researchers propose that aphantasia reflects a broken rendering process within a cognitive split between physical simulation and graphics. This explains why spatial reasoning remains functional despite the lack of visual mental imagery.
Balaban, H., & Ullman, T. D. (2025). Physics versus graphics as an organizing dichotomy in cognition. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 29(11), 985–996. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.05.003
Laying the Tracks: How I Manifest Without Mental Imagery (or Nostalgia)
Drawing on Under the Tuscan Sun, Terry Grace explores what it means to build a meaningful life without the ability to picture it first. This essay offers an alternative framework for manifestation: one rooted in feeling, resonance, and faith rather than visualization.
Rethinking Mental Imagery: Why Scientists Had It Wrong (And Why That's Good News)
For decades, neuroscientists assumed they understood mental imagery. Then people with aphantasia proved them wrong—and changed the future of consciousness research.
A Case of Aphantasia
A Case of Aphantasia is a piece of soft science fiction about a man who’s aphantasia is cured in therapy with a fictional technology. That cure comes at a deep cost. This is the first fictional story ever written on aphantasia.
Neural network topologies supporting individual variations in vividness of visual imagery
Vivid imagery is linked to local efficiency in the left fusiform gyrus and structural segregation in the occipital network. This suggests vividness emerges from the interplay of sensory processing and higher-order regulatory hubs.
Kvamme, T. L., Lumaca, M., Bajada, C. J., Gregersen, S. D., Hobot, J., Paunovic, D., Wierzchon, M., Zana, B., Silvanto, J., & Sandberg, K. (2025). Neural network topologies supporting individual variations in vividness of visual imagery. NeuroImage, 321, 121520. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121520
“Unseen strategies” what can the experience of Aphantasia teach us about cognitive strategies in memory?
Researchers identified semantic reliance, condensed inner speech, and external recoding as key compensatory strategies in aphantasia. This shows how individuals adapt to imagery deficits by utilizing specific alternative cognitive mechanisms.
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
“I just see nothing. It’s literally just black”: a qualitative investigation into congenital aphantasia
Researchers found that aphantasia impacts autobiographical memory and facial recognition, while involuntary imagery often remains intact. This suggests that voluntary imagery is a key component of broader cognitive and social systems.
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
The Aphantasia-Hyperphantasia spectrum
Aphantasia is a heterogeneous phenomenon involving multiple distinct spectrums rather than a single monolithic condition. This suggests that studying the entire spectrum is key to understanding individual differences in cognition and emotion.
Nanay, B. (2025). The aphantasia-hyperphantasia spectrum. Neuropsychologia, 109293. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109293
A decade of aphantasia research – and still going!
A decade of research shows aphantasia is a heterogeneous condition with five dimensions of variation, including sensory reach and spatial imagery. This suggests it is a diverse spectrum of abstract rather than experiential cognitive styles.
Zeman, A. (2025). A decade of aphantasia research – and still going!. Neuropsychologia, 219, 109278. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109278
Aphantasia, hyperphantasia and sensory imagery in a multi-cultural sample
Aphantasia and hyperphantasia were found across diverse cultures, with Middle Eastern groups reporting lower imagery scores than Western samples. This suggests that cultural or environmental factors may influence mental imagery development.
Bruder, J., & Zehra, M. (2025). Aphantasia, hyperphantasia and sensory imagery in a multi-cultural sample. Journal of Cultural Cognitive Science, 9(3), 465–481. doi:10.1007/s41809-025-00184-8
Why indecisive trials matter: Improving the binocular rivalry imagery priming score for the assessment of aphantasia
Researchers discovered that incorporating mixed trials into binocular rivalry scores increases the task's predictive validity for mental imagery. This provides a more reliable and efficient objective measure for identifying individuals with aphantasia.
Monzel, M., Scholz, C. O., Pearson, J., & Reuter, M. (2025). Why indecisive trials matter: improving the binocular rivalry imagery priming score for the assessment of aphantasia. Behavior Research Methods, 57(9). doi:10.3758/s13428-025-02780-6
Thinking in Pictures Isn’t All That: We Are All Beautifully Unique
What was your reaction when you first discovered others were thinking in pictures while you weren't? This jarring revelation led designer Shane Williams on a 25-year journey exploring cognitive differences. His research shows that studying and embracing how differently we all think opens up new worlds of patience, understanding, and acceptance.