大象传媒

Close your eyes and think of a giraffe. Can you see it? I mean, *really* see it - in rich, vivid detail? If not - you aren鈥檛 alone!

We鈥檝e had scores of messages from listeners who report having a 鈥榖lind mind鈥檚 eye鈥�. They don鈥檛 see mental images at all and they want to know why. Jude from Perth wants to know what makes her brain different, and Diane from Scotland wonders whether it affectes her ability to remember family holidays.

Our sleuths learn that this is a condition recently termed 鈥榓phantasia鈥�. They meet the chap who came up with the name, Professor Adam Zeman, a neurologist from the University of Exeter, and quiz him on the brain mechanisms behind this mystery.

Professor Julia Simner - a psychologist who, herself, doesn鈥檛 see mental images - shares the surprising research into how aphants differ slightly from others in a range of cognitive skills. We also hear about the world class artists and animators who can鈥檛 visualise - but can create beautiful, imaginary worlds.

Philosophy professor Fiona Macpherson from the University of Glasgow, deepens the mystery: perhaps this largely hidden phenomenon is behind some of the most profound disagreements in the history of psychology. Our mental experiences are all very different - maybe that鈥檚 why thinkers have come up with such different theories about how our minds work.

Search for the 鈥淰VIQ鈥� or Vividness of Visual Imagery questionnaire to take the test yourself. Look for 鈥淭he Perception Census鈥� to take part in this massive online study of perceptual variation. And look up the 'Aphtantasia Network' if you're curious to find out more.

Presenters: Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford
Contributors: Professor Adam Zeman, Professor Julia Simner, Professor Fiona Macpherson
Producer: Ilan Goodman