How can aphantasia be measured?

Historically research into mental imagery and aphantasia, has suffered criticism and lacked scientific traction due to a lack of objective methods of measurement and an overreliance on questionnaires. We now have more than three different methods to measure visual imagery objectively, cheaply, and easily, without needing to rely on someone’s opinion about the vividness of their imagery.

Joel Pearson talks about these three methods for measuring aphantasia objectively and reliably in this presentation from the 2021 Extreme Imagination Conference and Exhibition. He also covers the cognitive implications of having aphantasia, how it affects shortterm and lifelong memory, and control of thoughts, emotions, and creativity. The emerging picture is that an activity involving mental simulation is likely done differently in aphantasia.

Think you might experience aphantasia? https://aphantasia.com/
For more information about the Extreme Imagination Conference and Exhibition https://extremeimagination.com/

Kay, L., Keogh, R., Andrillon, T., & Pearson, J. (2022). The pupillary light response as a physiological index of aphantasia, sensory and phenomenological imagery strength. ELife, 11. doi:10.7554/eLife.72484

Wicken, M., Keogh, R., & Pearson, J. (2021). The critical role of mental imagery in human emotion: insights from fearbased imagery and aphantasia. Proceedings. Biological Sciences, 288(1946), 20210267. doi:10.1098/rspb.2021.0267

Pearson, J. (2014). New directions in mentalimagery research. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(3), 178–183. doi:10.1177/0963721414532287