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Visual working memory performance in aphantasia

DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.014
Jacobs, C., Schwarzkopf, D. S., & Silvanto, J. (2018). Visual working memory performance in aphantasia. Cortex, 105, 61–73. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.014

Abstract

Aphantasia, i.e., the congenital inability to experience voluntary mental imagery, offers a new model for studying the functional role of mental imagery in (visual) cognition. However, until now, there have been no studies investigating whether aphantasia can be linked to specific impairments in cognitive functioning. Here, we assess visual working memory performance in an aphantasic individual. We find that she performs significantly worse than controls on the most difficult (i.e., requiring the highest degree of precision) visual working memory trials. Surprisingly, her performance on a task designed to involve mental imagery did not differ from controls', although she lacked metacognitive insight into her performance. Together, these results indicate that although a lack of mental imagery can be compensated for under some conditions, mental imagery has a functional role in other areas of visual cognition, one of which is high-precision working memory.

Authors

  • Christianne Jacobs1
  • D. Samuel Schwarzkopf5
  • Juha Silvanto5

Understanding Aphantasia and Its Impact on Visual Working Memory

Overview/Introduction

Aphantasia is a condition where individuals cannot create mental images voluntarily. This study explores how aphantasia affects visual working memory, which is the ability to hold and manipulate visual information in the mind. The research investigates whether the absence of mental imagery in aphantasic individuals leads to specific cognitive impairments.

Methodology

  • Participants: The study involved a 31-year-old female with aphantasia and 11 control participants with normal mental imagery abilities.
  • Tasks: Participants completed several tasks designed to test visual working memory and mental imagery:
  • Visual Working Memory Task: Participants viewed geometric shapes and later identified if a dot appeared within the shape's boundaries.
  • Mental Imagery Task: Participants imagined geometric shapes and performed a similar dot identification task.
  • Change Detection Task: Participants identified changes in color or shape in a series of images.
  • Measurements: Performance accuracy and confidence levels were recorded, and participants' IQs were assessed to ensure comparability.

Key Findings

  • The aphantasic individual performed similarly to controls on mental imagery tasks, suggesting she used alternative cognitive strategies.
  • Her visual working memory performance was lower than controls in tasks requiring high precision, indicating that mental imagery might aid in tasks demanding detailed memory.
  • The aphantasic individual showed lower metacognitive accuracy, meaning she was less aware of her performance accuracy compared to controls.

Implications

  • Alternative Strategies: Aphantasic individuals might develop different cognitive strategies to compensate for the lack of mental imagery.
  • Role of Mental Imagery: Mental imagery appears to play a crucial role in tasks requiring high precision and metacognitive insight.
  • Potential for Further Research: Aphantasia provides a unique opportunity to study the functional role of mental imagery in cognition.

Limitations

  • Sample Size: The study focused on a single aphantasic individual, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
  • Task Design: The tasks may not fully capture the complexity of real-world visual working memory demands.
In conclusion, while aphantasia does not necessarily impair all aspects of visual working memory, it highlights the importance of mental imagery in specific cognitive tasks. Further research with larger samples could provide deeper insights into how individuals with aphantasia navigate cognitive challenges.