Peter Cobbold Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-03-people-mind-harder.html I am one of that select band, no "mind's eye". Apparently my fright level is lower than normals'. But I can visualise structures in 3D without seeing them, no problem. My mind's eye is swirling blackness and I thought that was normal until ca 2005. As one in fifty have aphantasia there.s a good chance that several fellow TRers are unaware that they are unscarable ! Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Deggers Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 "Apparently my fright level is lower than nor ... BOO!!" Just testing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Charlie D Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 I thought at first you meant the Walter Disney film from the 1940’s, with a similar name. I remember it well, elephants and a hippopotamus wearing a dress and dancing about. Now that was terrifying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 Nah, elephantasia didnt scare me, I'm immune to scary. Try harder folks. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 20 second of it was enough to scare me off ! Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 Unscarable by the written word , that is - all the test subjects were scared by visual imagery. Now those who are not scared by anything, e.g. that his captor might cut off a second finger after the first is gone, would make an interesting case study! Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 I am none too keen on watching "Chien Andalu " I used to use it to wake medical students up mid-lecture in the 4 pm slot. Put them off ophthalmlogy for life probably. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted April 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2021 https://psyche.co/ideas/when-the-mind-is-dark-making-art-is-a-thrilling-way-to-see?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB More info Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
little jim Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 (edited) I find those reference articles Pete keeps putting up for us to read pretty scary. (Or pretty hard to read anyway.) Edited April 18, 2021 by little jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted April 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 Jim. Amongst the several thousand TRR members ther will be two or three dozen experiencing aphantasia who might be interested in the link . I dont set out to scare anyone, and my apologies if I have. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 Having read the link in the original post I wonder whether the researchers have mistaken the bodies' natural preparedness for 'fight or flight' for actual fear? The two things are rather different I think. Maybe having good visualisation and preparedness to act is a survival trait ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted April 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 Rob, I doubt anyone knows. Aphantasia might be pathology or it might be a polymorphism with positive benefit evolutionarlly. I dont know if I;d be distracted my imagined scary images in a minds eye, or not. I can imagine threatening scenarios, but dont "see" them. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted October 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2022 Ganzflicker is an interesting test whether a flcikering red light from your computer screen can induce psychedelic images. https://theconversation.com/manipulating-light-can-induce-psychedelic-experiences-and-scientists-arent-quite-sure-why-192885 The red flicker is here. DO NOT try if you are suject to epilepsy, and cease if the experience is unpleasant. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7Fs5gzrcJDUx_75JkZu6xwyGzJ3N9BfyOm6AzOJtqw4Ae3w/viewform In her earlier work Dr Reeder found that imagery was poor or absent in people with aphantasia: https://theconversation.com/pseudo-hallucinations-why-some-people-see-more-vivid-mental-images-than-others-test-yourself-here-163025 What I see is.........................................flickering red light. Am feeling deprived. And you? Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted October 24, 2022 Report Share Posted October 24, 2022 Got bored after 2 mins ! May try again later Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted October 24, 2022 Report Share Posted October 24, 2022 I just found it intensely annoying. Like driving along a tree-lined road with a low sun. Didn't stick it for 2 minutes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted October 25, 2022 Report Share Posted October 25, 2022 On 10/24/2022 at 9:35 PM, Peter Cobbold said: Ganzflicker is an interesting test whether a flcikering red light from your computer screen can induce psychedelic images. https://theconversation.com/manipulating-light-can-induce-psychedelic-experiences-and-scientists-arent-quite-sure-why-192885 The red flicker is here. DO NOT try if you are suject to epilepsy, and cease if the experience is unpleasant. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7Fs5gzrcJDUx_75JkZu6xwyGzJ3N9BfyOm6AzOJtqw4Ae3w/viewform In her earlier work Dr Reeder found that imagery was poor or absent in people with aphantasia: https://theconversation.com/pseudo-hallucinations-why-some-people-see-more-vivid-mental-images-than-others-test-yourself-here-163025 What I see is.........................................flickering red light. Am feeling deprived. And you? Peter I too see a flickering red light Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Charlie D Posted October 26, 2022 Report Share Posted October 26, 2022 (edited) I tried the red flickering light site and have to admit that I soon saw a beautiful star light sky in front of me. The red background was like just before sunset and stars of different sizes twinkled across the sky. Then I looked closer and realized that the “Stars” were deposits of some sort that were stuck to my screen. It must have happened yesterday when my wife’s cat was sitting on my desk and had a sneezing fit. (My cat is far more civilized and always carries a handkerchief with her.) Charlie Edited October 26, 2022 by Charlie D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted October 26, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2022 So that's 4 out of 4 of us with no induced images. Line 408 et seq outlines what a test population of "imagers" saw: https://psyarxiv.com/8gz4m/ Are TRers all aphants?? Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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