APHANTASIA
The Minds eye
“It’s like their brain is doing the math but skipping the final step of showing the result on a screen”
WHAT IS APHANTASIA?
Aphantasia is a change in the way a brain handles visual imagery. Those with aphantasia, when tasked with visualizing data stored in their brain, cannot conjure an image. This picture shows an example of how Aphantasia could disrupt a function of the brain, hindering memory and imagination.
Survey Results
My survey attempts to find more data on the prevalence of Aphantasia in a population from Maynard, and to find any correlations between gender, age, etc.
The pie chart shows, on a scale of 1-5, with 1 having the greatest mental imagery and 5 having the least, where the staff and students at MHS stand. This survey suggests that the rate of Aphantasia may be far higher than predicted by other studies.
Implications
Aside from the obvious limitations, Aphantasia may hinder artistic ability, imagination, and memory. It has been estimated that 2-3% of the world population has Aphantasia, but smaller studies and surveys, such as mine, indicate the rate could be higher, and with a greater spectrum of effects.
By its very nature, Aphantasia is a difficult condition to study, and not much about it is known to this day. Since the symptoms are so subtle, more research is needed to analyze how it affects the mind, and to raise awareness about its existence.
