Phantasia–The psychological significance of lifelong visual imagery vividness extremes

There is no apparent gender bias in aphantasia.

“There is no apparent gender bias in aphantasia”

Around 1% of the population experiences profound aphantasia, with the lowest possible VVIQ score (16/80).

“These studies suggest that ~1% of the population experiences profound aphantasia and have the lowest possible VVIQ score (16/80)”

Subsequent reports have borne out that people with aphantasia dream visually.

“This observation has been borne out by subsequent reports [3”

In a sample of 2000 individuals with aphantasia and 200 with hyperphantasia, 54.2% and 47.8% respectively reported that all modalities were affected.

“In a sample of 2000 individuals with aphantasia and 200 with hyperphantasia, 54.2% and 47.8% respectively reported that all modalities were affected [3”

Avisual dreams and absence of dream recall are described more often by people with aphantasia than by control or hyperphantasic participants.

“avisual dreams, with variable narrative, textual, conceptual, auditory, and emotional content are described more often by people with aphantasia than by control or hyperphantasic participants, as is absence of dream recall [3”

2.6% of 1288 participants from a community biobank scored 80/80 on the VVIQ.

“We found that 2.6% of 1288 participants from a community biobank scored 80/80”

Women may be more prone to hyperphantasia.

“but women may be more prone to hyperphantasia”

11.2% of 1288 participants from a community biobank scored 75-80/80 on the VVIQ.

“whereas 11.2% scored 75–80/80”

People with hyperphantasia are more likely to work in traditionally 'creative' industries.

“whereas people with hyperphantasia are more likely to work in traditionally 'creative' industries”

2-6% of the population experiences imagery that is at best 'vague and dim', with VVIQ scores of 32/80 or less.

“whereas 2–6% experience imagery that is at best 'vague and dim', and have VVIQ scores of 32/80 or less”

Questionnaire data suggest an increased rate of synaesthesia among people with hyperphantasia.

“Questionnaire data suggest an increased rate of synaesthesia among people with hyperphantasia [3”

Around 40% of people with aphantasia describe difficulty with face recognition, more than twice the frequency among people with average imagery vividness or hyperphantasia.

“Around 40% of people with aphantasia describe difficulty with face recognition, more than twice the frequency among people with average imagery vividness or hyperphantasia [3”

The opposite variation was termed 'hyperphantasia'.

“We termed this 'hyperphantasia'”

Aphantasia is over-represented among people working in mathematical, computational, and scientific roles.

“aphantasia is over-represented among people working in mathematical, computational, and scientific roles”

A sibling recurrence risk of 9.6 in aphantasia indicates a roughly 10-fold increase in the likelihood of aphantasia in siblings versus the general population.

“A sibling recurrence risk of 9.6 in aphantasia, indicating a roughly 10-fold increase in the likelihood of aphantasia in siblings versus the general population, may point to a genetic basis for imagery extremes [3”

Both aphantasia and hyperphantasia are likely to have their advantages and disadvantages.

“Both aphantasia and hyperphantasia are likely to have their advantages and disadvantages [3”