Aphantasia Self-Tests
Discover your imagination with self-tests built on research methodology
Also known as: Aphantasia, Afantasia, Aphantasy, Imageless mind
Our free tests — often called an aphantasia quiz — help you discover how vivid your mind's eye really is. From complete aphantasia (no mental images) to hyperphantasia (extremely vivid imagery), find out where you fall on this spectrum.
Available Aphantasia Tests
Choose a test to measure your visual and sensory imagination. All tests are free, need no account, and follow methods from aphantasia research.
Recommended order
About 40 minutes in total
- VST-16 – Visual Spectrum Testapprox. 5 minMeasures the vividness of visual imagery using 16 everyday scenarios.Start here
- MST-21 – Multisensory Spectrum Testapprox. 10 minCapture your imagination across all senses.
- AMS-16 – self-test of autobiographical memoryapprox. 5 minHow vividly do you relive your personal past?
- IVS-15 – Inner Monologue Testapprox. 5 minDo you have an inner voice, and how does it 'talk' to you?
- Binocular Rivalry ExperimentExperimentalapprox. 15 minExperimental test based on the priming effect in binocular rivalry.More effort: red-cyan 3D glasses recommended (without glasses: cross-eyed method) and a sufficiently large screen.
Also available
- Hyperphantasia TestDo you have exceptionally vivid, near-photorealistic mental images? This test uses the VST-16 (methodology of the VVIQ, Marks 1973) and shows whether your scores fall in the hyperphantasia range.
- Original VVIQ (Marks 1973)Original questionnaireThe questionnaire used in aphantasia studies: 16 statements, in English. Only this score is directly comparable with study values.Go to the original VVIQ
Methodology & details for all tests
VST-16 – Visual Spectrum Test
The VST-16 is aphantasie.org's own self-test, drawing on the methodology of established imagery questionnaires (Marks, 1973). It contains 16 original items in 4 everyday scenes and measures how vividly you can picture scenes in your mind.
MST-21 – Multisensory Spectrum Test
The MST-21 is aphantasie.org's own self-test, based on the PSI-Q research methodology (Andrade et al., 2014). It measures your imagination across 7 sensory modalities: vision, sound, smell, taste, touch, body sensation, and emotion.
AMS-16 – self-test of autobiographical memory
16 statements across episodic, semantic, spatial, and future memory. Modelled on research into autobiographical memory and SDAM.
IVS-15 – Inner Monologue Test
15 statements across dialogic, evaluative, other-voices, condensed, and regulatory inner speech. Based on VISQ-R research.
Binocular Rivalry Experiment
This experimental test uses the scientific phenomenon of binocular rivalry. Unlike questionnaires, it does not rely on self-assessment — but it only provides an indication and is not validated as an at-home version.
VST-16 scoring: points and classification
| Points | Classification |
|---|---|
| 16–32 | Aphantasia/hypophantasia range (orientation) |
| 33–48 | Typical imagery, on the weaker side |
| 49–66 | Typical imagery, middle range |
| 67–74 | Typical imagery, on the vivid side |
| 75–80 | Hyperphantasia range (orientation) |
Studies classify the ranges up to 32 and from 75 points this way (Wright et al. 2024). The steps in between are this site's own orientation, not cut-offs set in studies – and the result is not a diagnosis.
Why Choose Our Tests?
- Developed based on the research literature (Marks 1973; Andrade et al. 2014) — original items, not independently validated.
- No account needed – no signup required. Your answers never leave your device; you decide whether the result is saved in your browser.
- Instant results with detailed interpretation. Understand what your score means.
- Saving is your choice – your result stays only for this session or in your browser on this device until you delete it. The answers of an unfinished test stay only in this browser tab: if you reload the page, you can continue where you left off; if you close the tab, the test starts over.
What Does an Aphantasia Test Measure?
An aphantasia test — or aphantasia quiz, as it is often called online — measures the ability to create mental images. People with aphantasia cannot visualize things: when they think of an apple, for example, they see no image in their mind's eye.
Visual imagery exists on a spectrum: from aphantasia (no images) through typical imagery to hyperphantasia (extremely vivid, almost photographic images). Most people fall somewhere in the middle.
Our tests help you find your place on this spectrum. This can be valuable for self-understanding, creative professions, or scientific research.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is aphantasia and how do I know if I have it?
Aphantasia is the inability to voluntarily create mental images. People with aphantasia see nothing in their mind's eye when asked to imagine something. Our tests help you find out if you're affected and to what degree.
Who are these tests suitable for?
The tests are suitable for anyone who wants to learn more about their imagery ability. They are free, follow established research methodology, and only take a few minutes. Especially interesting for those who suspect they visualize differently than others.
How accurate are the test results?
Our tests follow the methodology of internationally recognized questionnaires (VVIQ, PSI-Q), but contain original items and have not been separately psychometrically validated. They are self-assessments — for a clinical assessment, consult a professional.
Is this a quiz or a scientific test?
Both words describe the same thing here. Many people search for an “aphantasia quiz”, while researchers speak of questionnaires. Our tests follow the item structure and scales of established research questionnaires (VVIQ, PSI-Q), but they contain original items and are not separately validated instruments. So: it works like a quiz, it is built on research methodology — and it is not a diagnosis.
What happens to my data?
Your answers are not transmitted to our servers. Before the test, you decide whether your result is only shown during this session or saved in your browser on this device.
Ready to Discover Your Imagery Ability?
Start now with the VST-16, the visual self-test based on VVIQ methodology (Marks, 1973).
Learn more about aphantasia
Evidence-based answers to the most common questions.
- What is Aphantasia?The full definition: mental imagery, the visualization spectrum, and how aphantasia is measured scientifically.
- Aphantasia symptoms — 7 typical signsWhat aphantasia means in everyday life.
- How common is aphantasia?About 1% of people — the numbers in detail.
- Can aphantasia be cured?Research, personal reports, what actually helps.
- Aphantasia vs. hyperphantasiaThe two ends of the imagery spectrum.
- Aphantasia & autism, ADHD, depressionWhat research knows about co-occurring conditions.
- Frequently Asked QuestionsAnswers to the most common questions about aphantasia.
- Hyperphantasia – the oppositeExceptionally vivid mental imagery: definition, symptoms, and tests.
- Aphantasia GlossaryKey terms about aphantasia, mental imagery, and related phenomena explained clearly.
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