The Minds Eye in Reading: A World Without Mental Pictures

What would your life be like if you couldn't see pictures in your 'mind's eye'? Can you imagine your imagination without images? For an estimated 4% of the world's population, the mind is not an eye, and images can't be imagined by their brains. This community live with a condition called Aphantasia.

Most of us are used to seeing images in our heads when we read, or seeing memories as pictures, for people with Aphantasia the world is very different. What does it feel like to belong to this neurodiverse community? Perhaps you already do! In this workshop you will learn about the fascinating brain science of Aphantasia, delve into the history of mind's eye research, and explore your own mind's eye in reading through a series of artistic drawing activities.

Neesa Sunar (she/her) is a PhD researcher at the University of Salford, investigating the experience of auditory aphantasia in musicians. Her research is supported by the Leverhulme Trust Aural Diversity Doctoral Research Hub. (LAURA). Originally from New York City, Neesa has interdisciplinary experience in music and public mental health: she plays classical music on viola, has music teaching experience, and also has a background in masters-level social work and clinical psychotherapy (under supervision). Neesa aims to raise awareness of aphantasia in artistic and creative communities, creating more inclusive learning environments that recognize the full spectrum of the mind’s eye.

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