APS
2026 APS Annual Convention · 2026
Is Aphantasia Characterized By a Different Cognitive Style That Shapes Reasoning?
- Damien Le Clézio
Laboratoire d'étude des mécanismes cognitifs - Maël Delem
Laboratoire EMC, Université Lumière Lyon 2 - Merlin Monzel
- Gaën Plancher
EMC Laboratory, University Lyon 2
Abstract
We investigated whether aphantasia reduces the Visual Imagery Impedance Effect (VIIE) in abstract reasoning. Typical imagers showed slower responses to visual versus spatial and control problems, replicating the VIIE. The effect was smaller in aphantasics, particularly complete aphantasics versus hypophantasics. OSIVQ-based analyses further revealed that cognitive style influences reasoning performance.