DISCUSSION: The VVIQ: Test your "immersion" into imagery

[Snuggle Tier List]

As part of a research tangent, I recently became aware of the VVIQ, or Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire. This test was designed to diagnosis cases of aphantasia (no "mind's eye") and hyperphantasia (super-"mind's eye", as if you were really there). The conditions are relatively recently confirmed to even exist — if you want to learn more, check out the University of Exeter's ongoing "The Eye's Mind" study, where you can get in contact with researchers if you think you experience either condition.

But this is more than a PSA. I got a copy of the VVIQ, and as readers (and writers) of fiction, I figured it could be useful to self-test ourselves. That way, we can learn how affected we are by imagery and how many words we should devote to scenery. As the research so far shows, everyone's brain processes imagery differently, so I'd rely on this less as an objective test and more as a self-discovery thing. Then, if you're reviewing a fic that's either dry or loaded in imagery and wondering why it isn't clicking, you'll have your own answer.

The full test is in the spoilers below. It is sixteen multiple-choice questions divided into four sections, all of which require you to imagine a scene and self-rate how vividly you can picture it in your mind's eye. Aphantasiacs answer all questions as "no image at all", while hyperphantasiacs rate all questions as "perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision". There's no scoring system for those in the middle (the test wasn't designed for that), but it does offer multiple options that let you peg how vividly you can picture simple imagery. Feel free to post your own responses; For instance, I personally did pretty well except for Part 1, where images were consistently vague.

Spoiler: The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, Part 1: Person

Think of some relative or friend whom you frequently see (but who is not with you at present), and consider carefully the picture that comes beford your mind's eye. Then rate the following items:

Q1: The exact contour of face, head, shoulders, and body.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q2: Characteristic poses of head, attitudes of body, etc.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q3: The precise carriage, length of step, eyc., in walking.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q4: The different colors worn in some familiar clothes.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Spoiler: The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, Part 2: Sun

Visualize a rising sun. Consider carefully the picture that comes before your mind's eye. Then rate the following items:

Q5: The sun is rising above the horizon into a hazy sky.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q6: The sky clears and surrounds the sun with blueness.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q7: Clouds. A storm blows up, with flashes of lightning.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q8: A rainbow appears.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Spoiler: The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, Part 3: Shop

Think of the front of a shop to which you often go to. Consider the picture that comes before your mind's eye. Then rate the following items:

Q9: The overall appearance of the shop from the opposite side of the road.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q10: A window display including colors, shapes, and details of individual items for sale.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q11: You are near the entrance. The color, shape, and details of the door.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q12: You enter the shop and go to the counter. The counter assistant serves you. Money changes hands.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Spoiler: The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, Part 4: Landscape

Finally, think of a country scene which involves trees, mountains, and a lake. Consider the picture that comes before your mind's eye. Then rate the following items:

Q13: The contours of the landscape.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q14: The color and shape of the trees.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q15: The color and shape of the lake.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Q16: A strong wing blows on the wind and on the lake, causing waves.
▢ No image at all (only "knowing" that you are thinking of the object)
▢ Vague, and dim
▢ Moderately clear and vivid
▢ Clear and reasonably vivid
▢ Perfectly clear and as vivid as normal vision

Quick reminder this test was not designed as a writing aid. Just because you score high or low on a section doesn't necessarily mean you'll enjoy more or less imagery. For instance, I'm pretty bad at visualizing people, but I personally prefer short character descriptions I have trouble remembering anyways rather than extensive details. But another reader might be the opposite; they might enjoy long descriptions because it compensates for what their mind's eye lacks. I'd recommended you use this as a self-discovery tool rather than a definitive guide.

Snuggles, away!

 

[canisaries]

My responses were pretty monotone, almost all being in the very middle and all belonging in the middle three options, so I won't bother typing out the full results. I will admit that the ranking felt very vague and that made it hard to answer accurately, but I'm not really sure if you can even make something as subjective as this non-vague, since a person only has their own perception to compare it to.

I wondered at first if my synesthesia would influence my results, but as the test progressed, I realized being a visual artist mattered a lot more. And it makes sense that it does - you have to first know what to draw before you can draw it, at least to some extent.

I expected to do worse on the Person part, honestly, due to how much trouble I have remembering people's faces, but surprised myself.

One question, though. What does the D stand for in VVID? I doubt it's Questionnaire.

 

[Snuggle Tier List]

One question, though. What does the D stand for in VVID? I doubt it's Questionnaire.

Good question! That was a tyop of mine I copy/pasted. The D is actually supposed to be Q, which does stand for Questionnaire. Slipping in an edit now.

 

[canisaries]

Good question! That was a tyop of mine I copy/pasted. The D is actually supposed to be Q, which does stand for Questionnaire. Slipping in an edit now.

Ah, alright. A bit of a bummer since VVID would have sounded like "vivid" and made for a lot catchier an acronym. ;p

 

[Drakon]

I always seem to score in the upper two of the responses. I'm curious to see if people who score highly in the quiz are more likely to be writers.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Everything I try to picture is "vague" or "moderate" to be honest. It's frustrating, sometimes. This, plus various other sensory issues I have like difficulty with auditory processing and a worthless sense of smell sometimes make me feel some pretty negative feelings. You know, like doubting that my potential writing calibre is all that high, or dread that I'm never going to experience the world as positively as people with better sensory experiences.

Doesn't stop me writing some good stuff, of course.