Objective Measures
Aphantasia can be identified through objective measures, including physiological, behavioral and neurological identifiers. Learn about these measures and how scientists identify aphantasia with these informative resources.
Why indecisive trials matter: Improving the binocular rivalry imagery priming score for the assessment of aphantasia
A new method for measuring mental imagery strength has been developed, improving on an existing binocular rivalry task. This enhanced approach better predicts individuals' self-reported imagery capacity, especially for those with aphantasia, a condition where people struggle to visualize images. The new scoring system is more reliable and effective for future research.
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
Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia: What We Know After a Decade of Research
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.
How Aphantasia Affects Memory: Research Reveals Why Remembering the Past Is Challenging
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.
Breaking the Connectivity Code: How The Aphantasia Brain Access Visual Information Without the Mind's Eye
How a brain researcher's journey from engineering to neuroscience uncovered the hidden networks that allow people with aphantasia to navigate a visual world without mental imagery—and what this reveals about the nature of consciousness itself.
Pupils Can Detect Aphantasia
Eyes are the window to the soul... and Aphantasia? New study finds pupils can detect mental imagery strength. Joel Pearson joins the Aphantasia Network to present on this fascinating new discovery.
DNA Testing
Curious if anyone has explored potential DNA links to hereditary traits, inspired by unexpected findings from genetic testing.
Measuring Aphantasia
How can aphantasia be measured? Joel Pearson talks about measuring aphantasia objectively and reliably in this presentation from the 2021 Extreme Imagination Conference.
The genetic basis of aphantasia
Could genetic diversity in cognitive processes explain our survival as a species? Exploring potential markers in the cognitive spectrum is intriguing.
Mental Imagery Research: Understanding Aphantasia and the Mind's Eye with Joel Pearson
The accidental discovery that became the foundation for objective measurement techniques in mental imagery and aphantasia research.
Shocking Insights: What Electrical Stimulation Tells Us About How We Visualize
Why might your mind's eye be blind while your friend can picture crystal-clear images? Shocking insights into the known neurodifferences in imagery vividness.
Is there an objective test for aphantasia?
Is there a way to objectively measure mental visualization? Can a specific test definitively determine how we experience imagery in our minds?
How To Test For Aphantasia At Home Using Binocular Rivalry
Discover if you have aphantasia using a simple binocular rivalry test you can do at home. Learn about objective measurement techniques and what your results could mean.
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