Aphantasia: the inability to visualize

[alwaysbusy]

I very recently discovered I'm in the 1-1.5% of the people who can not visualize things. I was always under the impression that 'visualizing' something was just a figure of speech.

Aphantasia is the inability to visualize. Otherwise known as image-free thinking.
People with aphantasia don’t create any pictures of familiar objects, people, or places in their mind’s eye. Not for thoughts, memories, or images of the future.

We lack this quasi-perceptual “picture-it” system completely.

I wonder if there are others here on the forum who also can't do this.

A simple test: Close your eyes and imagine a beach with a palmtree on the left and a red boot on the sea.

Do you actually see this? In my case, the canvas stays black.

 

[kimstudio]

I don't even know this "Aphantasia" exists... I know Tesla has unbelievable capability to image complex things running in mind.

 

[EnriqueGonzalez]

i knew it existed but i dont know any body who has it, i dont think i have it, may be i can't fully visualize the example you made but sure i can picture parts of it.

anyway, do you dream? do you create images in your brain while dreaming?

 

[alwaysbusy]

I don't even know this "Aphantasia" exists

It sure does.

anyway, do you dream? do you create images in your brain while dreaming?

Indeed I do create pictures while dreaming. But while awake, I can not picture anything, not even 'a red dot'. It is not a disability, but just that for some of us our brains are wired differently. A memory for me is a sum of facts, but I can not recall an image of the sea or building I have seen on a holiday.

 

[EnriqueGonzalez]

Thank you for sharing! you just tear down some of my conceptions on aphantasia, for example that they couldn't work on abstract process such as programming. i think i have much to learn about it.

 

[kimstudio]

For programming, does it affect the UI layout design in mind before writing code?

 

[alwaysbusy]

For programming, does it affect the UI layout design in mind before writing code?

For me not at all. I'm the one actually doing it within our company. I do not 'see it before me' before I start coding. Computers are actually a big help as you can design nowadays so easy with it and then I also see it before me on the screen as it develops. I'm actually even not a bad classic drawer/painter. It does not affect creativity. As for coding itself, I can quickly go directly to a specific part in millions lines of code, much faster than my collegues who seem to have to 'read' things to navigate.

 

[aeric]

Do you actually see this? In my case, the canvas stays black.

Isn't this disturbing if you still seeing things? I wish I don't see it and I don't.
I know my partner can't imagine things well compare to me. That's why I think she doesn't have Acrophobia while I have. I learned and know about gravity, physics and probability of falling down from height. But that's another mental issue.

 

[alwaysbusy]

Isn't this disturbing if you still seeing things?

I find it rather creepy myself if I would be able to picture e.g. something bad that had happened to me all the time.

 

[aeric]

For programming, does it affect the UI layout design in mind before writing code?

I'm actually even not a bad classic drawer/painter.

I am on the other hand prefer drawing out the flow of the program, not on UI design. I can draw but not technical stuffs.

 

[MikeH]

All my life I never heard of this until a short time ago and now I "know" yourself and one other. I find it really puzzling... I ask my friend about it, she says she cant picture anything, its just black, as you say. I'm really curious... how would you know where things are? How do you travel without picturing the journey, or at least the destination? How do you remember how things look? If I ask you to go get me something, how do you do it? Suppose I ask you to get me a cold drink from my fridge in the kitchen... I know the way to my kitchen, what the fridge looks like and what the cold drink and a glass looks like in my mind and I remember, pictorially, how to combine those to make a drink. How is it for you? I'm not making fun - genuine questions.

 

[hatzisn]

I very recently discovered I'm in the 1-1.5% of the people who can not visualize things. I was always under the impression that 'visualizing' something was just a figure of speech.

Aphantasia is the inability to visualize. Otherwise known as image-free thinking.
People with aphantasia don’t create any pictures of familiar objects, people, or places in their mind’s eye. Not for thoughts, memories, or images of the future.

We lack this quasi-perceptual “picture-it” system completely.

I wonder if there are others here on the forum who also can't do this.

A simple test: Close your eyes and imagine a beach with a palmtree on the left and a red boot on the sea.

Do you actually see this? In my case, the canvas stays black.

It is interesting. People like you are wired in such a way that they cannot create a picture in their mind and other people get wired by opinion makers in such a way that they cannot see the big picture and I am not talking about myself. Since I know your next question (I suppose) I am just nagging about some people. Deep down though I know it is not their fault.

Have you tried listening to some music to try to connect this music with a picture. It would be insteresting to know if then you can create a picture... If I were you I would look at a picture and listen to a certain music. Then I would create a B4J program that would play this music in a random time and check if the connection could create a picture... Please do so and let us know. I have watched a video where they mentioned that sometimes these are interelated.

 

[alwaysbusy]

@MikeH I have no idea really but I can do all the things you describe. The phenomenon has been known for quite some time, but it is only been researched since 2015 because of an incident in the UK. A man who had the ability lost it because of a brain surgery. Not much is known yet. It seems all the info is 'there' in the visual working memory and I can consult it without conscious awareness, but just can't picture it.

I found this analogy describes a bit how it feels for me:

Suppose everyone but you in the world had a little devil and angel sitting on their shoulders. They could actually see them on everyone's shoulders. But you don't. Every time they had to make a decision if something is good or bad, they consult them. But you don't. You instantly (intuitively?) know if something is good of bad.

@hatzisn there are indeed probably ways to make new connections using other senses than seeing (like hearing). They are just not practical in everyday life. I've done several concerts in my life and enjoyed them, remember the facts and emotions about them, but I can't recall an actual picture of the stage before my eyes. I can describe it to you, but not by 're-watching' the experience.

There is no cure for it, as it is not considered a disease or malfunction. Also, I have no desire (nor need) to be able to as I have never known anything else. For me, this is just curious that you guys do that to remember (or plan) things.

I had a talk with a friend of mine on how we play golf. He looks at the hole, pictures his next shot and uses this as a reference on how to play when he stands over the ball. I too take a glance but as soon as I look at the ball to take my shot, that picture is gone. I however can take my shot with a similar accuracy. So I probably analyzed the same image, looked at the facts (distance, flag position, etc) and picked a solution by experience before looking away. He probably does the same but at a different point in time (looking at the image while standing over the ball). I'm actually a better putter player than him

It just means I probably have to start taking more pictures of experiences. Luckily, we all have a 'visual memory' in the palm of our hands nowadays.

Thanks guys for sharing your ideas about this phenomenon. It's nice to 'see' the other side, as a figure of speech

 

[MichalK73]

I'm just trying to figure out how not to visualise and is it hard on life? Probably because I have very clear visualisations and I have no problems with it. Maybe it is because in my youth I was strongly interested in meditation and there such teachings are the first steps. When I went to my thesis supervisor at the university, he asked me about an algorithm, a block of lines to show him how a program works. I answered that I do not have, that everything is in my head. Anyway, when I program I never use sketches, blocks, algorithms, etc. I see everything in my head, frontend and backend.

But apparently this does not bother you at all, because @alwaysbusy has several times more knowledge than me.

I can only give you a quick exercise that years ago I started visualising with it. Simple it is.
Take a piece of plastrin in your hand. Play with it, knead it and look at it all the time how it changes under your fingers, how ups and downs appear. Then do the same, play with it with your eyes closed, feel the surface with your fingertips, feel the pressure and how it changes. Then put the Plasticine down and continue to play with the Plasticine in your mind, you should see it and then feel how you touch it and how it changes. Have fun

 

[hatzisn]

@hatzisn there are indeed probably ways to make new connections using other senses than seeing (like hearing). They are just not practical in everyday life. I've done several concerts in my life and enjoyed them, remember the facts and emotions about them, but I can't recall an actual picture of the stage before my eyes. I can describe it to you, but not by 're-watching' the experience.

Thanks for sharing this. You answered completely my questions both the previous as well as the second I was going to ask you if your answer was negative (if it was positive I would have asked you if you created the same image). I would have asked you in case of this negative response if hearing an ambient music would create any image. F.e. I was looking for relaxing music in YouTube and I have got a video of "Bhuda's Flute.... (+something else was written)". I got curious and clicked on that and liked that downloading it. Each time I hear it I "can see" forest and people with sharp eyes sitting among big leaves in their traditional ways and meditating while one of them is playing the flute.

 

[MikeH]

Suppose everyone but you in the world had a little devil and angel sitting on their shoulders.

Ah now thats where I am very different

Out of curiosity, when you draw something, where does that image come from?

 

[alwaysbusy]

Out of curiosity, when you draw something, where does that image come from?

I draw still life's, landscapes, portraits. Always something that I see live or from a picture. I'm not that good in drawing something from the top of my head of course.
Weird thing is while I spend quite some time on such a drawing, I still can't picture it afterwards. Here is for example a portrait I made from a friend of mine some time ago. But until I took that photograph just now, I would've have a rather hard time describing it. I couldn't even remember if it was a painting or a drawing.

 

[MikeH]

I draw still life's, landscapes, portraits. Always something that I see live or from a picture. I'm not that good in drawing something from the top of my head of course.
Weird thing is while I spend quite some time on such a drawing, I still can't picture it afterwards. Here is for example a portrait I made for a friend of mine some time ago. But until I took that photograph just now, I would've have a rather hard time describing it. I couldn't even remember if it was a painting or a drawing.


View attachment 138200

Hey thats really good!

 

[mjcoon]

I very recently discovered I'm in the 1-1.5% of the people who can not visualize things. I was always under the impression that 'visualizing' something was just a figure of speech.

Aphantasia is the inability to visualize. Otherwise known as image-free thinking.
People with aphantasia don’t create any pictures of familiar objects, people, or places in their mind’s eye. Not for thoughts, memories, or images of the future.

We lack this quasi-perceptual “picture-it” system completely.

I wonder if there are others here on the forum who also can't do this.

A simple test: Close your eyes and imagine a beach with a palmtree on the left and a red boat on the sea.

Do you actually see this? In my case, the canvas stays black.

Just a guess: did you discover this because you listen to the BBC's "Curious Cases" series? I had not heard of this either before listening to that particular episode. Whether or not, anyone can listen on bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gwys

 

[alwaysbusy]

did you discover this because you listen to the BBC's "Curious Cases" series?

Yes. Never heard of it before or thought someone could actually do that.