In my
mind’s eye
Now at
all times I can see in the mind’s eye,
In their stiff, painted clothes, the pale unsatisfied ones
Appear and disappear in the blue depth of the sky
With all their ancient faces like rain-beaten stones,
And all their helms of silver hovering side by side,
And all their eyes still fixed, hoping to find once more,
Being by Calvary’s turbulence unsatisfied,
The uncontrollable mystery on the bestial floor.
W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)
It might be assumed that the ability to visualise something is a practice everyone can indulge. ‘Counting sheep’ to aid sleep is one form of visualisation. Revisiting a favourite location in one’s mind is a pleasant occupation, but suppose you couldn’t? Some people lack the ability so to do. They may have difficulty recalling faces but will still be able to recognise people when they meet them. Imagining a scene is difficult for them and detailed descriptions will not conjure pictures in their minds, but they may be excellent at abstract problem-solving and code-breaking.
Inability to visualise mental images is called aphantasia and was first described in 1880 by Francis Galton (1822-1911). At that time, visualisation was largely disbelieved. It was not extensively studied until 2015, when Adam Zeman (1957-) of the University of Exeter, coined the term aphantasia.
The extreme opposite of aphantasia is hyperphantasia, in which people have the ability to visualise events or places with almost photographic detail. Dreams can be overwhelmingly realistic, and mental images may be intense.
The table
below sets out simplistically the differences between aphantasia and hyperphantasia.
|
Trait |
Aphantasia |
Hyperphantasia |
|
Mental
images |
None |
Extremely
vivid |
|
Thinking
style |
Verbal /
logical |
Visual /
sensory |
|
Memory |
Conceptual |
Image‑based |
|
Emotional
response to imagination |
Lower |
Stronger |
So, for some people, the ‘mind’s eye’ does not function, and they may be astonished at the idea that others can ‘see with their mind.’
I think I would find that really tough especially not being able to recognise the faces of loved ones.
ReplyDeleteWe would miss what we know, but no what we have no idea about.
DeleteThough I knew some people could visualise much better than others, I didn't know till now the names aphantasia and hyperphantasia. I think I lean slightly to the aphantasia side. Learned something new today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that most people fall somewhere between the two extremes.
DeleteWOW thanks for this info- I am one my husband is the other, I think in pictures , he thinks in words. Neither can imagine the other...Imagination is at the fore in my brain, logic and reason is his. he is boring and I am fun...
ReplyDeleteNeither of us is extreme, but we have learnt from each other, he being logical and me being fanciful.
DeleteI have a vivid imagination, and can see things visually even if taken from words. It's a more artful side, I like to think.
ReplyDeleteA vivid imagination is something creative people need.
DeleteI did the apple test on my blog a while ago so people could register their own degree of visualization. It was an interesting experience! I'm extremely visual and was amazed to find everybody isn't. However I also have face blindness, great difficulty in recognizing even familiar faces. It seems to be a different brain function.
ReplyDeleteFace blindness can lead to all sorts of misunderstanding, with people taking offence at being 'ignored.'
DeleteI am unable to visualise, though I do dream quite well.
ReplyDeleteYet your writing is imaginative and full of images.
DeleteI think I am like River, my dreams though are very visual, but somehow the mountains and hill always seem to be steeper.
ReplyDeleteInteresting!
DeleteI choose all the house decoration and furniture, hubby just can't picture it even if we are looking at the item, he is an intelligent man, but his imagination is limited.
ReplyDeleteAt least there can be no disappointment or argument over decoration and decor.
DeleteShortly after hearing about this, I was talking to a friend, who was astounded because he didn't realise other people had a mind's eye... he isc70! He's never seen images in his head, never knew that this was unusual
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about this phenomenon I found it difficult to comprehend,. but 'there are more things in heaven and earth,' et cetera.
DeleteA friend of mine can not recall faces, but when he meets the person, he (mostly) remembers their name and knows that he knows them.
ReplyDeleteI guess for someone who has never had "the mind's eye", not having it is not a problem - they don't know any other way. But maybe through a brain injury or a tumor, someone could lose that ability, and that would be hard to bear, I imagine.
Yes, if the ability has never been there and is unheard of, it makes little difference to life, apart from astonishment at hearing about it.
DeleteI'm a visual type of person.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't surprise me. 😊
DeleteWe probably need people every day with varying degrees of these conditions and never know it.
ReplyDeleteWe probably meet, not probably need.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Unless it comes up in conversation, we never know what other people do or do not experience.
DeleteWhen I was younger I was very lonely so I lived in my head a lot. I made up whole 'movies' in 3D and Dolby Sound. I still recall those imaginings, they made me laugh, cry, all kinds of emotions. When I read a book I picture the action, settings along with the author. I can recall faces, voices, smells, textures. When a see a food commercial if I've eaten it, can 'smell/'taste' it in my head. So...this isn't normal? I did not know this. Thanks for the post! Take care, Kris in Ohio
ReplyDeleteIt's normal for you and that's what is important.
DeleteWow! I had never thought about this before so thanks for enlightening me Janice. I imagined that my own hyperphantasia was common to all humans. For example, I can easily visualise you sitting in your rocking chair surrounded by your grandchildren and your dogs singing "Mama's Taking Us to the Zoo Tomorrow" with Barry playing the accordion, dressed in the garb of a Cornish pirate. Your are wearing an extra large beige cardigan with leather elbow patches. You have worn it for years and there are used tissues stuffed in the pockets.
ReplyDeleteThat's incredible, Neil. It's almost as though you have a camera recording my life.
DeleteI never realised any of this, Thanks for the info
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
😊
DeleteI am somewhat more apha than hyper.
ReplyDeleteI suspect most of us fall into the intermediate category, but what do I know?
DeleteI can visualize, but it takes conscious effort. It doesn't happen naturally, I have to walk my brain through it, and it's usually flat, like a picture. My husband visualizes like a film reel. Sometimes, when he tries to describe me things, he has to draw me pictures.
ReplyDeleteThat is so interesting.
ReplyDeleteAphantasia definitely has greeks roots. I'm always pleased when I can understand a word because I speak greek.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting post again
Having a working knowledge of Greek must be very useful in all spheres of life. I wish I had. 😳😊
DeleteInteresting! I've never heard these terms before. I sometimes have nightmares so vivid that I wake myself up trying to scream or asking myself if what's happening is real. I tend to remember images very clearly, which served me well when I took tests in college. I would write important things to remember on a piece of paper, study the paper, and then when I was taking the test I'd recall the image on the paper. I've heard about people who have face blindness. It would frighten me if I couldn't recognize people.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Your method of studying/learning is very effective.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about this, I think I am in all things more visually, except in recognizing faces. I would be a very bad witness I just can't remember faces only if I have seen them several times. Sometimes it is very annoying when people ask me how I am and my family and if we still live there etc and I don't recognize the person and have to invent answers in the hope I am not wrong ! This disease has a very complicated name, greek probably.
ReplyDeleteI looked it up as I couldn't remember it - prosopagnosia!
DeleteFascinating
ReplyDeleteThe mind is a beautiful thing.
DeleteThat's really interesting. I can visualize things as I'm reading books.
ReplyDeleteWhen books are adapted for film or television, they often disappoint because they don't match the images we have in our heads.
DeleteMany thanks for this post, an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
The mind works in strange ways.
DeleteBest to be a bit of both perhaps. 'In my mind's eye'- what a beautiful phrase-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI suspect most people are a bit of both - balanced!
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered (as a librarian) how these differences affect people's enthusiasm for reading. If you aren't able to visualize, a book may be a completely different experience than it is for someone who has a vivid "mind's eye."
ReplyDeleteI wonder if non-fiction appeals more to those with no visual imagination.
DeleteIf you really live your nightmares the doctor called it hallucinations, which Rick had and that started 15 years before the Parkinson was diagnosed. When I dream I can't run, that's awful, especially when you want to run away. On top I am face blind ! I only recognize somebody when I have seen him at least 10 times. That's very annoying when people say hello and ask about your family and you don't know who he is ! I am stage 1 the 3rd stage cannot recognize his own mother's face. He recognizes her at the hands, movements, clothes etc.
ReplyDeleteBeing unable to escape in a dream is a very frightening experience.
ReplyDelete