How do you see in your mind's eye?

When I was studying on my post grad in Autism I came across this concept of Phantasia. It absolutely fascinated me! I wonder has anyone ever asked you how you 'see' things in your mind's eye?

Lets start with the little know test...

I will invite you to now close your eyes and think about a red apple with a green leaf.

Now take a look at this scale and check which apple your mind 'saw'....

'Hyperphantasia' (1 on the scale) is indistinguishable from reality.

'Aphantasia' (5 on the scale) is an inability to picture anything at all.

This is an ability that can affect how you see the world, how you experience dreams, feelings, memory - it's HUGE and I bet no one has ever asked you this question.

Now you know this, lets put this through the lens of a child/adult who has extreme anxiety, night terrors, or OCD - if they are Hyperphantasic how are they to tell the difference between watching a scary film and then dreaming about it or having flashbacks - their mind sees it as so realistic so they cannot distinguish the two!

On the other end of the scale how about a person who is Aphantasic - they cannot 'picture' anything - they would not be able to listen to a story and experience it as visual images in their minds eye, they could not partake in any meditation or creative visualisation - then add in the fact that they may not even be aware that other people see pictures in their minds eye!

Aphantastia

Neurologist and Professor at the University of Exeter, Adam Zeman, first coined the phrase 'Aphantasia' and led research on this concept. His research suggests that this mental imagery actually shapes how we interact with the world. It plays a role in memory, day-dreaming and creativity.

In the research, data was collected from questionnaires filled by 2000 participants with aphantasia and 200 with hyperphantasia, the researchers have found some interesting patterns:

• Participants with aphantasia tend to work in scientific and mathematical fields and have difficulty with face recognition and autobiographical memory.

• Participants with hyperphantasia tend to work in creative fields and have a higher rate of synaesthesia.

  
  

The study found that around half of the participants with aphantasia reported the absence of wakeful imagery in all sense modalities, but most of them dream visually. The researchers have also noted that aphantasia runs in families more frequently than expected.

Aphantasia can shape emotional life in subtle ways. Because memories are not replayed visually, some people report less sensory re-experiencing of past events, which may reduce intrusive imagery after distressing experiences. However, it can also affect autobiographical memory, making personal memories feel less vivid or emotionally immersive. Some people describe their recollections as fact-based rather than scene-based.

Aphantasia can also influence learning and imagination. Instructions like 'visualise the scene' or 'picture the solution' may not resonate, so they then have to rely more on verbal reasoning, logic, or abstract thinking. Importantly, emotional depth, creativity and empathy are not absent, they simply operate through different cognitive pathways. Aphantasia is not a deficit in intelligence or imagination; it reflects a different internal architecture of thought.

Here is a video by an artist who has Aphantasia discussing their lived experience with it.

Hyperphantasia

We know people with hyperphantasia can 'see' images in their mind’s eye with striking clarity, sometimes as detailed and immersive as actual perception. They may be able to rotate objects mentally, visualise scenes with rich color and texture, or replay memories in a way that feels almost real. While this can enhance creativity and imagination, it can also intensify emotional experiences, as imagined fears or remembered events may carry powerful sensory force.

Because imagery in Hyperphantasia can feel perceptually real, it can significantly amplify emotional responses. When a distressing memory replays in high sensory detail, or when a feared future scenario appears vividly in the mind, the body may react as if the event is happening now! This can trigger anxiety, panic, or prolonged stress. Intrusive imagery can make rumination harder to interrupt and emotionally charged scenes may linger with unusual intensity.

At the same time, the same vividness can enhance positive emotions, creativity and empathy. In this way, hyperphantasia does not cause mental health difficulties on its own, but it can magnify emotional experiences, making regulation more challenging for some individuals, especially during periods of stress or trauma.

Autism and Phantasia

We know from research that autistic people are disproportionately likely to experience Hyperphantasia or Aphantasia. Part of what makes all of this difficult to discuss is what Dr Damian Milton called, the 'double empathy problem', where we all assume that everyone else has the same internal experience as ourselves.

It is estimated that:

• 2–4% of people have aphantasia

• Up to 10% have hyperphantasia.

  
  

Understanding differences in mental imagery from Aphantasia to Hyperphantasia matters because they quietly shape how we remember, imagine, learn and regulate emotion. If your mind produces intense, lifelike images, fears and memories may feel immediate and overwhelming; if your mind does not produce images at all, you may process experience more conceptually, relying on language or logic rather than inner pictures. Neither style is inherently better or worse. But not knowing these differences exist can lead to confusion, self-doubt, or misunderstanding.

Recognising the diversity of inner experience allows people to better understand themselves, develop strategies that suit their cognitive style and feel less alone in how their mind works. I really feel this simple Apple Test needs to be common place in our schools, colleges and workplaces.

References

• 'Phantasia–The psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes' Zeman et al (2020) https://aphantasia.com/research/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.003

• Cheshire Cat, X.com, https://x.com/autismsupsoc?s=20

• On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’ - Dr Damian Milton, (2012) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09687599.2012.710008

• I have APHANTASIA (and you may too...without realising it!), You Tube, JAMIEvstheVOID, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewsGmhAjjjI