Aphantasia within the framework of neurodivergence: Some preliminary data and the curse of the confidence gap

Conscious Cogn. 2023 Sep 12;115:103567. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103567. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAphantasia is a neurocognitive phenomenon affecting voluntary visual imagery, such that it is either entirely absent, or markedly impaired. Using both the social and medical models of disability, this article discusses the extent to which aphantasia can be understood as a disorder or just a form of neutral neurodivergence, given that imagery plays a central role in thinking and memory for most other people. Preliminary school performance data are presented, showing that low imagery does not necessarily complicate life, especially given compensatory strategies and low societal barriers. In addition, we discuss the consequences of labelling aphantasia a disorder with regard to self- and public stigma, and we provide further data regarding a confidence gap, by which aphantasics perceive themselves as performing worse than they objectively do. We conclude that aphantasia should be understood as neutral neurodivergence and that labelling it a disorder is not only wrong, but potentially harmful.PMID:37708622 | DOI:10.1016/j.concog.2023.103567

Source: Consciousness and Cognition - September 14, 2023 Category: Neurology Authors: Merlin Monzel Carla Dance Elena Aza ñón Julia Simner Source Type: research