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Spatial transformation in mental rotation tasks in aphantasia
Binglei Zhao1,2, Sergio Della Sala3, Adam Zeman4
1Institution of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Hua Shan Road, Shanghai, 200030, China. binglei.zhao@sjtu.edu.cn.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|June 10, 2022
Summary
Individuals with aphantasia can still perform mental rotation tasks, demonstrating spatial transformation abilities. However, their brain activity patterns differ, suggesting task-specific variations in mental representation.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- Aphantasia is characterized by the inability to visualize mental imagery.
- This study explores spatial processing in acquired aphantasia.
Observation:
- A case study of M.X. with acquired aphantasia was compared to controls on a letter mental rotation task (MRT).
- Behavioral and electrophysiological (ERP) data were collected during the task.
Findings:
- M.X. performed MRTs accurately, similar to controls, with reaction times increasing with rotation angle.
- Electrophysiological results revealed differences: the rotation-related negativity (RRN) was modulated by angle in controls but not in M.X. on mirror-reversed trials.
Implications:
- The inability to form mental images does not necessarily preclude spatial transformation abilities.
- Spatial transformation capabilities in aphantasia may be task-dependent and influenced by the type of mental representation accessed.
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