Voluntary imagery refers to the deliberate, conscious generation of mental experiences - like intentionally trying to imagine a beach scene or recall how an apple tastes. In aphantasia, this ability to create voluntary mental imagery in one or more senses is reduced or absent. On this page, you'll find research, personal experiences, and discussions about voluntary imagery and its relationship to aphantasia.
Voluntary imagery refers to the deliberate, conscious generation of mental experiences - like intentionally trying to imagine a beach scene or recall how an apple tastes. In aphantasia, this ability to create voluntary mental imagery in one or more senses is reduced or absent. On this page, you'll find research, personal experiences, and discussions about voluntary imagery and its relationship to aphantasia.
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
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
This apple illusion allows people who can't visualize to temporarily 'see' an image that isn't there—using visual perception to demonstrate what others experience through their imagination.
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Everything you wish someone had told you about having aphantasia. Understand why you think differently, find your strengths, and learn the strategies built for your brain — not someone else's.
Talk to counselors, coaches, and educators who already understand aphantasia — so you don't have to start by explaining what it is.
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
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
This apple illusion allows people who can't visualize to temporarily 'see' an image that isn't there—using visual perception to demonstrate what others experience through their imagination.
You've reached the end of content in the voluntary imagery topic.
Everything you wish someone had told you about having aphantasia. Understand why you think differently, find your strengths, and learn the strategies built for your brain — not someone else's.
Talk to counselors, coaches, and educators who already understand aphantasia — so you don't have to start by explaining what it is.
