Mental Rotation Tasks: The Surprising Advantage of Aphantasia

They took seconds to do; With no thought of imagery to do it; How do people use that? 1) clockwise from open edge is circle, blue orange; as was the first answer offering. 2) looking at it the 3D view popped out; Purple blue orange into the shape on a surface. 2 and 3 had a differently bent shape; and all the colours were the same. The question said only 1 was matched (used “is”); so a little while was spent looking for the error; as I assumed it was not in the question. (=> “Which of the 4 match the first?”) 3) first glance showed only 3 faces in answer; so must compare answers; rather than learn question. Answer 1 has green and blue faces L-R across the nearest point. Answer 1 and 2 match the shape folded to see the shown surface; and 4 matches folded the other way (if it’s a 2 sided printing). Having a clear error and not saying if the flat shape is single or double side printed is wrong!

I suspect I have aphantasia, and I have the same experience as the previous commenter. I can figure out the 2D puzzles somewhat easily by describing them (i.e., for #3, I can see that the red triangle is connected to an orange square, which leads me to answer 2, same for the purple triangle and blue square). I can’t speak for everyone but my brain is certainly not secretly conjuring up images and then popping out answers for me—I am consciously arriving at the answer in a different way. For the record, the 3D one took me quite an while—all the colors are in the same order on all the answers. I found the answers using directions: i.e., the upper purple cube is pointing south, with the lower arm branching away from it to the west. In 2 and 3, I can see that it branches to the east.

"The primary evidence supporting this claim is the fact that there are people with aphantasia who have no conscious experience of mental imagery whatsoever (exhibit A: patient MX), and at least some of them are capable of performing tasks that are assumed to require the manipulation of visual imagery – such as the case with mental rotation tasks." Aphantasic here. I find this "evidence" really falls short and implies that "obviously" those who believe that they have no visual imagery actually do have it, but are somehow incapable of realizing it. This reminds me of how, when I first discovered that I was aphantasic, several people tried to explain to me that I just wasn't properly understanding what was meant by visual imagery. Pfft. Anyway, I can figure out the rotated images by simply describing them to myself. For example: The small orange circle is across from the large purple circle, and the large purple circle is to the right of the solid turquoise circle (because I view it as the circles "facing" me). Of course, the more complex the image, the more description I need, and the longer it will take me to figure out the rotation, which is consistent with the study results.

I have aphantasia. Enjoyed the exercise and was able to discern the correct answers. I am also a highly sensitive person and recently read that HSP is not found in people with aphantasia. I find this finding puzzling.

I have aphantasia (born) but I'm rather good with mental rotations and other things. The idea of being able to unconsciously see images is an interesting one. I feel however that I'm using other tricks in order to do things. For example, in no. 2 you can just count 3 from the purple, go down a right angle, make a right angle to the right, then another right angle down 1 in line. You can just trace this patterns for each shape to see if it matches. In no 3. you can just go from either triangle then down and make sure the colour matches, then left and make sure the colour matches. What's interesting is spatial awareness. I can look at the room I'm in. I see a wardrobe and a door and a bedside table. I close my eyes and it's gone completely. But I remember aspects of the objects. The shape and size of the objects, the distance between them. I can draw like a wireframe of all the objects and superimpose the objects onto it, I cannot see the wireframe or the objects but I'm aware of what such a picture would look like given their rough relative sizes and distances apart. I'm aware of some of the properties of the objects such as some colour, features, etc but only from what I remember. This would actually be an interesting test to take. To look at a simple room then try to draw it. I reckon the relative sizes and shapes of the objects would be rather accurate, some details would be rather accurate but then other details would be lost completely in a way that wouldn't happen with someone who could hold the image in their head better.  

Shouldn't the last task ("MR Task 3 (3D)") also include number 5 as an answer? -If, starting from the unfolded state as in picture number 1, you were to fold the purple lid towards the viewer, perpendicular onto the blue square, wrapped the green and orange around that, and folded the red lid on the bottom, you'd have a purple triangle on top, with the blue square as a successor of the green square when traversing the squares clockwise when viewed from upon the purple square Anyway, very interesting post. What a strange, but very cool website!

I definitely fall into the hyperphantasia category but my eyes have almost zero depth perception. Thus spatial relations is a nightmare for me and these 2D and 3D exercises were always my worst enemies. The only strategy I have is to try to use pictures in my head to move the objects but I can't do it quickly. I hated timed tests with any spatial relations testing. I agree that hyperphantasia is a bit of a curse. I saw a movie as a child about a rampaging grizzly bear (I still remember it was called Night of the Grizzly and I don't recommend it!) I vividly remember the movie now at age 63. I have learned to avoid horror movies and even scary cartoons.  So.... I wonder if hyperphantasia contributes to phobias? I bet it does! 

Thanks, interesting to have a name for my life experiences.  I think you might be underestimating the number of people with it.  I sat in several hundred IEP's for children (special education meetings) and recognized many whose struggles in school -particularly with spelling and memorizing sight words - were similar to my own struggles.   It affects my ability to draw a mental picture from a written description of eg. a room when reading a book, and my ability to recognize individuals in movies if say two of the characters are even remotely similar in looks.

Great test, and I first thought, 'This is a trick.  There are two that seem to fit...' -- and moved to the final one and suspected the same.  So I went back and rechecked and came to the same conclusions.    Thanks for giving us a little mental challenge!