The role of visual imagery in story reading: Evidence from aphantasia
Speed,Laura Eekhof,Lynn S. Mak,Marloes
Speed,Laura
Eekhof,Lynn S.
Mak,Marloes
Abstract
Aphantasia is a condition in which people are unable to experience visual imagery. Since visual imagery is thought to be key to language processing, we hypothesized the experience of a story would differ between individuals with aphantasia and controls. Forty-seven individuals with aphantasia were compared to fifty-one matched controls on their experience of reading a short story and their general reading habits. Aphantasics were less likely to be engaged with, interested in, and absorbed in the story, and experienced reduced emotional engagement with and sympathy for the story characters, compared to controls. Yet, aphantasics and controls did not differ in how much they liked or appreciated the story, and in general, the reading habits of the two groups also did not differ. Results have implications for embodied theories of language, suggesting visual imagery may influence how a story is experienced, but it is not the only route to story enjoyment.
Description
Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Date
2024-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Aphantasia, Embodiment, Mental Imagery, Mental Simulation, Story reading
Citation
Speed, L, Eekhof, L S & Mak, M 2024, 'The role of visual imagery in story reading: Evidence from aphantasia', Consciousness and Cognition, vol. 118, 103645. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2024.103645
License
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess