Built for civilization: a very brief theory of aphantasia, hypophantasia and low hypnotizability
Built for civilization: a very brief theory of aphantasia, hypophantasia and low hypnotizability
My theory: the genes for aphantasia and related conditions are among the newer genes that developed after the Neolithic revolution during the age of civilization. The aphantastic neurotype evolved to fit a very specialized niche within civilized society. The aphantastic brain is highly specialized for abstract, conceptual thought, with a corresponding diminution in sensory, somatic, and social responses. In the ancient world, aphantastics would have been among the scholars, scribes, mathematicians and philosophers. In the modern world, they occupy similar roles in areas such as academia and information technology.
There is abundant anecdotal evidence that many aphantastics are specialized as knowledge workers; you can find it easily simply by doing a Google search. However, there is currently a debate as to whether the statistics support this trend. I think this is due to the fact that aphantasia has a very low base rate in the general population. It will be necessary to perform research studies with large-size samples in order to get reliable statistical data.
Some testable predictions can be made from this theory:
1. Aphantasia will be most common in ethnic groups and geographical regions that entered civilization early.
2. It will also be more prominent in family lineages that have been literate and educated for many generations.
3. It will be less common in areas that are fraught with war, disaster, and instability. This is because people with low mental imagery tend to also be nondissociative, which would make them less likely to survive sudden, extreme trauma.
4. There is no overall correlation between mental imagery vividness and IQ. However, I predict that very high levels of intellectual and creative ability will likely have a bimodal distribution. That is, people who are extremely intelligent and/or creative will tend to be either aphantastic or hyperphantastic. The reason for this is that both groups are highly specialized. Each of them has taken a single tool and honed it to a sharp, precise edge.
My theory: the genes for aphantasia and related conditions are among the newer genes that developed after the Neolithic revolution during the age of civilization. The aphantastic neurotype evolved to fit a very specialized niche within civilized society. The aphantastic brain is highly specialized for abstract, conceptual thought, with a corresponding diminution in sensory, somatic, and social responses. In the ancient world, aphantastics would have been among the scholars, scribes, mathematicians and philosophers. In the modern world, they occupy similar roles in areas such as academia and information technology.
There is abundant anecdotal evidence that many aphantastics are specialized as knowledge workers; you can find it easily simply by doing a Google search. However, there is currently a debate as to whether the statistics support this trend. I think this is due to the fact that aphantasia has a very low base rate in the general population. It will be necessary to perform research studies with large-size samples in order to get reliable statistical data.
Some testable predictions can be made from this theory:
1. Aphantasia will be most common in ethnic groups and geographical regions that entered civilization early.
2. It will also be more prominent in family lineages that have been literate and educated for many generations.
3. It will be less common in areas that are fraught with war, disaster, and instability. This is because people with low mental imagery tend to also be nondissociative, which would make them less likely to survive sudden, extreme trauma.
4. There is no overall correlation between mental imagery vividness and IQ. However, I predict that very high levels of intellectual and creative ability will likely have a bimodal distribution. That is, people who are extremely intelligent and/or creative will tend to be either aphantastic or hyperphantastic. The reason for this is that both groups are highly specialized. Each of them has taken a single tool and honed it to a sharp, precise edge.
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