Do you have a minds eye

[PlantingTreesAgain]

A bit of fun here to see how many MN have Aphantasia. I’ve posted in competitions as I’m guessing people who enjoy them might find this interesting.

This is the ability to see images in our minds.
To simply test this.
Close your eyes and imagine a red star.
Can you see one and to what extent,
Post here which image you see numbers 1-6 as you imagine that star .

Please note there is nothing wrong if you can’t see a star about 2-3% of the population can’t either.

Im also doing AIBU to get a quick tally
AIBU - what star? Can people see a star?
IANBU - I see a star can’t everyone ?

[PlantingTreesAgain]

To start.
Im a 1.
I see nothing and I’m really shocked anyone can.
I had no idea it was normal to be able to actually visualise a real image when your eyes are closed.
Looking forward to seeing the % of MN who are the same as me.

[Garlickit]

I visualised a dying star (red giant) 😂 After looking at your graphic, I visualised the red star. I've got no idea what other people mean about seeing something in their mind's eye: it sounds like some literally 'see' in their imagination, whereas I sort of construct the image. I've got a really good memory for colours, though, despite not 'seeing' them as such

[Poppins2016]

Number 6, immediately, for me. When things are described I "see"/picture them as though I'm looking at a photo etc.

[PiggieWig]

Mine’s a 3 but when I mentally picture something it’s not really like that. It’s more an image in my head than on the inside of my eyelids if that makes sense, like a dream.

[CrunchyCarrot]

I see a distinct red star in my mind's eye, so 6. for me. I don't know how I'd do art from my imagination if I couldn't visualise images.

[SilverTay]

I'm a 6. I can also "smell" smells which I understand is unusual.

Although I do have prosopagnosia (face blindness).

The brain is a strange thing!

[IncompleteSenten]

I can't see anything.
I close my eyes and I know what a red star is but I can't visualise it. Its more like I can feel/sense a written description of it if that makes sense.
I can't picture anything, I can't picture the faces of my kids but I can sense them more like I'm hearing or saying their physical description.
There's just no image there at all to go with it.

[JustWhatWeDontNeed]

I'm not sure I understand the question. When I imagine a red star. I know what one looks like. I wasn't sure if you meant a burning red gas blob, or what you posted, so imagined both.

But I didn't "see" one. I just know what one looks like, if you see what I mean? I guess I see nothing, but I know what I'm imagining. I've never given it any thought. Now I'm confused

[DinnaeFashYersel]

I imagined a red version of the sun. A real hot, moving glowing, massive star in the black of space.

[IncompleteSenten]

@SilverTay

I'm a 6. I can also "smell" smells which I understand is unusual.

Although I do have prosopagnosia (face blindness).

The brain is a strange thing!

Me too. I used to recognise my kids at the school gate by their coats and the fact they were pretty much the only non white kids in the school! I regularly went straight by people I knew. I seemed so rude. My sister claims I once drove past them and they waved and I looked at them blankly and carried on.

I also get shooting pain up my legs as a response to seeing people get hurt or having it described to me.

My mum has that thing where words have colours.

[Pixiesgirl]

I'm a 1. I know what things look like, but I don't have a minds eye, I can conceptualise a red star, but not literally see it in my brain. Its really hard to explain. It's like instead of a "screen" where I can "see" things, it's as if the screen is in another room, but I still know what's on it.

For a brief period after a medical thing I did have a minds eye, so know for me it's a different experience.

[Scalby]

1 but I know I have Aphantasia. I can't even picture my late DB and parents.

[alonglongshot]

Ok, I misread and thought you wrote red car so now I can't see the star but I've a clear image of Starsky & Hutch's car.

[Luckycloverz]

6.
I can imagine smells and the texture of items in my head - can others do this?

[Garlickit]

@Luckycloverz

6.
I can imagine smells and the texture of items in my head - can others do this?

No. But. Similar to colours (though less accurately), I can call them to mind and 'know' what the smell/taste/texture is like, even have an emotional response, but it isn't the same as re-experiencing them.

Among the replies so far, I think I must be most similar to @JustWhatWeDontNeed. I know I have a good imagination, vivid even, but it's a different thing from literally 'seeing' or 'smelling' ... tricky, isn't it?!

[Garlickit]

To make up for it (haha) I hallucinate sounds. I've got the hang of identifying whether they're real, but it can be a bit frustrating!

[cantlosebabyweight]

1. Art is a mystery for me. Hope I’ll never witness a crime and be asked by the police for a description as I’ll be arrested for participation in crime.

[Overthebow]

6! It really confuses me that some people can’t picture anything, how do you recognise things if you can’t picture them before seeing them? Like how do you know you’re seeing an otter?

[Overthebow]

@Luckycloverz

6.
I can imagine smells and the texture of items in my head - can others do this?

Yes, I can imagine pretty much anything.

[Izzy24]

@Overthebow

6! It really confuses me that some people can’t picture anything, how do you recognise things if you can’t picture them before seeing them? Like how do you know you’re seeing an otter?

Edited

Same here. When I read ‘otter’ I simultaneously saw an otter in my mind.

[Luckycloverz]

So for those of you that can't see things if someone described a random pink spotted dragon wearing a hat, you wouldn't be able to picture it?? So interesting how the mind works.

[Pixiesgirl]

Because you see an otter with your eyes and think, cool an otter. Why would you need to picture it if it's in front of your eyes?

I have a friend who pictures everything movie style when reading a book, along with inner monologue reading along .

Blimey no wonder they don't read much, sounds labour intensive .

Once I'm engrossed I just look at the page and the story enters my head. I know the descriptions of characters, but obviously can't picture them, so incidental.

No wonder people talk at cross purposes all the time when brains seem to have a lot of variation.

[Pixiesgirl]

I can conceptualise a pink spotted dragon with a hat. Just not see it in my mind.

[Luckycloverz]

@Pixiesgirl

Because you see an otter with your eyes and think, cool an otter. Why would you need to picture it if it's in front of your eyes?

I have a friend who pictures everything movie style when reading a book, along with inner monologue reading along .

Blimey no wonder they don't read much, sounds labour intensive .

Once I'm engrossed I just look at the page and the story enters my head. I know the descriptions of characters, but obviously can't picture them, so incidental.

No wonder people talk at cross purposes all the time when brains seem to have a lot of variation.

Haha I do this with every book but presumed everyone did!

[Lwrenn]

@Scalby

1 but I know I have Aphantasia. I can't even picture my late DB and parents.

I hope you've lots of photographs. 💐
I have it also, but see people in dreams, the brain is so weird.