What can you see when you close your eyes?

[Applo]

Until a few years ago, I always thought that when people said they could see something in their minds eye, that this was mostly a figure of speech. Whenever I have tried to picture anything in my mind, the best I've ever achieved has been vague shapes that shift and change like smoke. Honestly I thought they were just caused by some trick of the light seeping through my eyelids and I assumed that this is how it was for everyone. Then a few years ago I read about Aphantasia and discovered that some, in fact most people can picture can apparently create images in their mind.

Since then I've been incredibly interested in just what these mental images are like and to that end I've tweaked an experiment created by Francis Galton in 1880 to help me climb inside your heads see what you see. Wanna take part?

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Pick a scene you know well. Maybe it's your computer and surroundings, or the view from the driver's seat of your car or perhaps the table you eat most of your meals at.

Now I want you to close your eyes and picture that scene for a moment taking in all the detail you can.


Finished?


Bonza! Want to share with us what you saw with your mind's eye? If it helps use these questions to help structure your answer.

1: Is the image dim or fairly clear?
2: Is its brightness comparable to that of the actual scene ?
3: Are all the objects pretty well defined at the same time?
4: Are the colours quite distinct and natural?"​

 

[Spekkun]

Well, I went ahead and pictured my dining room/living room area since that's where I spend a good portion of the time studying.

The image I had was actually slightly fuzzy. I was unable to picture much but the table, the spot I usually sit my laptop on and the chair. Everything else was pretty hard to make out. We still have a Christmas tree up in the room (my aunt never took it down :T and the cat likes it) and while the actual shape was hard to picture, the lights surrounding it wasn't. We also have 2 large sofa chairs but those honestly didn't come to mind.

It wasn't as bright as the actual room but it was kind of close. Oddly enough though, didn't picture any shadows. But the colors...MAN were the colors vibrant and poppin'! The lights on the Christmas tree I mentioned before were pretty incredible, maybe I was picturing them brighter than they actually were? The brown of the chairs was strong and alive, as was the blue and white of the sofa chairs!

There was one thing that scared me though. Honestly, I might never try this again just because I don't want to envision something like that EVER again.

My damn cat.

 

[Joan]

Huh. I got basically clouds of words when I tried this. Wonder what that says about my brain XD

 

[Kitti]

It's not easy to do, though I wonder if those who are very skilled at things like painting are better at it than others?

I chose to picture my bedroom.
1: Indistinct at the edges and fades out a bit.
2: Is its brightness comparable to that of the actual scene ? I think so.
3: Are all the objects pretty well defined at the same time? Not detailed in places I'm not focusing but otherwise adequately clear.
4: Are the colours quite distinct and natural? Yes.

 

[Shiri]

I was not aware that this was a thing some people are unable to do. Huh. Brains are neat things.

I have chosen my office space as my setting as I spend most of my time in it.

1: Is the image dim or fairly clear?
The image is not precise, but each object has a sensation attached to it so I can focus in and make it more clear. I use this technique when I make art as well. I picture a single subject and spin it slowly within my thoughts to get the appropriate angle.

2: Is its brightness comparable to that of the actual scene?
The brightness is typically natural daylight.

3: Are all the objects pretty well defined at the same time?
Not immediately as I say in 1.

4: Are the colours quite distinct and natural?"
The colors are not overly distinct as I cannot recollect every shade in the wood grain of my desk. The general ideas are there though and are close to what they are.

 

[Dipper]

1: Is the image dim or fairly clear? - Clear. Problem is, I could only imagine one part of the room at a time, rather than the whole room. It's still pretty clear though.
2: Is its brightness comparable to that of the actual scene ? - No. It's dark, like everything is dim or lit by candlelight.
3: Are all the objects pretty well defined at the same time? - Well defined. Except for that chair in the corner.
4: Are the colours quite distinct and natural? - No. Every object is just a mess of color.

 

[Draugvan]

I'm a little confused by the question. How do you read books without seeing the scenes in your head??

Well, I pictured my room at midday. All was clear, colourful and bright like as if I were sitting there in real life, and I can see just as far away. However, I do kind of flick between first and third person view. I can do either, but obviously to imagine a scene I just kind of think of myself as a character. I don't think I get my face right though :/

 

[Applo]

I'm a little confused by the question. How do you read books without seeing the scenes in your head??

Personally I find it really hard to answer that without sounding flippant and saying I start reading and carry on until I want to stop but yeah pretty much.

 

[GrunkleLogic]

My eyelids.










Small shapes, colours and then nothing at all.

 

[Tensa Hiruma]

Lazer shooting Bacon Nipples.

 

[Sidhe]

I'm a visual artist but I've always been totally shit at this. This kind of visualization was tried with me during therapy and I always struggled with it. My eyes just start wandering and I can't focus.

When reading and not just trying to summon a random image, I can imagine scenes well, but not vividly, if that makes sense. Things are fuzzy. They're not clear like a picture. I know the layouts of spaces and the colours surrounding them, but it's not crisp.

I blame the fact that I just have difficulty focusing. I've never been successful at meditation, either, for this exact reason.