The Enigma of the Silent Mind: What Have We Learned About Anauralia?
Anthony J. Lambert, Zoé Mi Schelp, Gage Quigley-Tump, Victoria Tan, Magna Christopher Maliekkal, Olivia E. Johnson, Chris Sibley, Suzanne C. Purdy
Auditory Perception & Cognition April 3, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/25742442.2026.2656856 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAnauralia—the absence of auditory imagery, or a lack of a 'mind's ear'—is estimated to occur in a notable portion of the general population, based on a large representative sample. A new measure, the Auckland Auditory Imagery Scale (AAIS), captures both receptive (mind's ear) and productive (inner voice) dimensions of auditory imagery. Distinct dimensions of sensory imagery (mind's ear, inner voice, visual imagery) were differentially associated with distinct psychological attributes, including personality, wellbeing, self-control, neurodiversity, mindfulness, creativity, working memory, and autobiographical memory. The findings highlight wide variation in inner sensory experience and the need for psychological theory to embrace neurocognitive diversity.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Keynote address summarizing survey and correlational research Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Large, representative sample (general population) |
| Keywords | Perspective graphical Feature linguistics Focus optics Identification biology Computer science |
| Key finding | Distinct dimensions of sensory imagery (mind's ear, inner voice, visual imagery) were differentially associated with distinct psychological attributes and cognitive processes. |
Abstract
This brief report summarizes a keynote address delivered at The Mind’s Ear and Inner Voice 2025 conference. Anauralia refers to absence of internal imagery for sound – lack of a mind’s ear. Findings from a project investigating psychological implications of individual differences in sensory imagery, with a particular focus on auditory imagery and anauralia, are outlined. We begin by reporting estimates of the population incidence of both anauralia and aphantasia based on a large, representative sample and introduce a new measure of auditory imagery (Auckland Auditory Imagery Scale, AAIS), which embraces both receptive (mind’s ear) and productive (inner voice) dimensions of auditory imagery. Research investigating the specific dimensions of sensory imagery (mind’s ear, inner voice, visual imagery) and their associations with a wide range of psychological constructs is then described. These include: measures of personality, wellbeing, self-control, neurodiversity, mindfulness, creativity, working memory, and autobiographical memory. A key result, illustrating the multi-faceted nature of internal imagery, is that distinct dimensions of sensory imagery were differentially associated with distinct psychological attributes and cognitive processes. Our findings highlight wide variation in participants’ inner experience of sensory imagery and underline the need for psychological theory to address and embrace neurocognitive diversity.