Imagination capacity in university students: aphantasia and its possible changes in personal development
Open accessAbstract
This research is about Aphantasia, a condition in which the individual has his or her imagination capacity diminished or absent, and which can be acquired or congenital. This study aims to analyze the percentage of university individuals with aphantasia, within the three areas of knowledge (Human, Exact and Biological) and compare this percentage, within the university environment, with the percentage of aphantasia in the general population, which has already been estimated around 2% by researcher Adam Zeman. The study is of the cross-sectional observational type conducted with university students. Data collection will be performed from the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ), sent digitally and completed by participants by Google Forms. The collected data will be processed and analyzed in Microsoft Excel. As a result of the research it is expected to be able to analyze whether the percentage found of people with aphantasia in the university population is the same as that found in the general population. In a way, the expectation that is assumed is that the percentage of aphantasia found in the university environment is lower than the percentage found in the population, since the capacity for imagination and abstraction are useful instruments and facilitators of learning and construction of knowledge, both practical and abstract and that its absence can be a difficulty to enter the undergraduate course. From this, we will raise arguments, hypotheses and discussions about the data collected, addressing possible causes and consequences for it in the academic-educational environment and in personal development.
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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”
From Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes (2024) · cites this paper as [34]
Section 5 GENERAL RESULTS defines VVIQ scores of 16–32 out of 80 as aphantasia, corresponding to imagery described as “dark and vague,” and reports 96 of 1,627 participants (5.9%) in that range. That supports the threshold and a figure within 2–6%, but the study reports a result for its university-student sample, not a 2–6% prevalence range for the general population. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAphantasia 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”
From Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes (2024) · cites this paper as [34]
The study reports a higher concentration of aphantasia in university students in the Exact group (8.2%) than in the overall student sample (5.9%). The Discussion and Conclusions also describes an earlier finding about mathematicians, chemists, and physicists. Neither passage establishes over-representation among people currently working in these roles, and the paper does not report a separate finding for computational roles. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAround 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)”
From Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes (2024) · cites this paper as [34]
The General Results section states that 16 is the lowest possible VVIQ score, and the results report that 37 participants with aphantasia scored 16. The paper does not establish that around 1% of the general population has profound aphantasia; its study is of university students, and it discusses an estimate of around 2% for aphantasia overall. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSubsequent reports have borne out that people with aphantasia dream visually.
“This observation has been borne out by subsequent reports [3”
From Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes (2024) · cites this paper as [34]
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”
From Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes (2024) · cites this paper as [34]
The study discusses aphantasia and the distribution of mental-visualization ability across university subject areas (study findings; Discussion and Conclusions, page unavailable). It does not address whether people with hyperphantasia are more likely to work in creative industries. Searches for hyperphantasia, creative professions, and career choice did not locate that claim in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.72)
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Cites
The blind mind: No sensory visual imagery in aphantasia
Keogh, R., & Pearson, J. (2018) · Cortex · doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.012 · Cited by 352 · see citing works
A cognitive profile of multi-sensory imagery, memory and dreaming in aphantasia
Dawes, A. J., Keogh, R., Andrillon, T., & Pearson, J. (2020) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-020-65705-7 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 8
- Pearson J. The human imagination: the cognitive neuroscience of visual mental imagery. Nat Rev Neurosci [Internet]. 2019;20(10):624-34. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41583-019-0202-9 · DOI · Paper page
- Smyth RSD, Acharya P, Hunt NP. Is visual imagery ability higher for orthodontic students than those in other disciplines? A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. J Orthod. 2019;46(3):205-11.
- Zeman A, Dewar M, Della Sala S. Lives without imagery -Congenital aphantasia. Cortex [Internet]. 2015;73:378-80. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.019 · DOI · Paper page
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- de Vito S, Bartolomeo P. Refusing to imagine? On the possibility of psychogenic aphantasia. A commentary on Zeman et al. (2015). Cortex [Internet]. 2016;74:334-5. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2015.06.013 · DOI · Paper page
- Zeman A, Dewar M, Della Sala S. Reflections on aphantasia. Cortex [Internet]. 2016;74:336-7. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2015.08.015 · DOI
- MARKS DF. Visual Imagery Differences in the Recall of Pictures. Br J Psychol. 1973;64(1):17-24.
- Watkins NW. (A)phantasia and severely deficient autobiographical memory: Scientific and personal perspectives. Cortex [Internet]. 2018;105:41-52. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.010 · DOI
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Aphantasia and hyperphantasia: exploring imagery vividness extremes
Zeman, A. (2024) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2024.02.007 · Cited by 148 · see citing works
- Authors
- Gouveia, L. A.
- Corresponding author
- Gouveia, Levi Albuquerque
- Venue
- Themes focused on interdisciplinarity and sustainable development worldwide V.1
- Publisher
- Seven Editora
- Published
- 2023-05-19
- OpenAlex
- W4313436316
- Cited by
- 4
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 3
- FWCI
- 4.95
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- dx.doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- Locations
- Seven Editora eBooks (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hallucinations in medical conditions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- aphantasia, visual imagery vividness, imagination, university students, Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, human development, academic learning, undergraduate education
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