Dyscalculia and Aphantasia

Does Dyscalculia Affect One’s Ability To Visualize (Aphantasia)?

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Last Updated on October 6, 2023 by Editorial Team

REVIEWED BY NUMBERDYSLEXIA’S EXPERT PANEL ON FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Just imagine a beautiful day with green mountains, a tribe of goats grazing, a flowing watercourse, and a little child playing in those waters. You may discern it to be an effortless task to envision.  Woefully. not everyone can do that due to compromises like Aphantasia. On the other hand, Dyscalculia, as we all acknowledge, is a learning challenge where one finds grasping numbers and arithmetic notions strenuous. 

While some believe there is a noteworthy connection between these challenges, some inquire about their validity. Consequently, in this post, we will dig deeper and understand the correlation between them both. 

Aphantasia- A brief elucidation

From the instance exhibited above, you can infer what Aphantasia apparently is. By definition, It is an inability to deliberately fabricate a mental picture in the mind. Being a rare phenomenon, these can be of two types: 

  • Congenital Aphantasia: The inability that is evident right from Birth. 
  • Acquired Aphantasia: The inability that occasionally occurs or after a brain injury. This inability can consequently be temporary for some.

While this special need was initially realized by Francis Galton in 1881, studies turned weighty in 2015 with the research by Adam Zeman from the University of Exeter. This study was based on the quality of mental images formed by 21 participants. 

Since studies are underway, there are no perfect inferences available on Aphantasia. However, research by C.J.Dance[1] shows that this disorder links with other disorders like synesthesia and Autism with respect to their social skills and association. In essence, Aphantasia can be characterized by the following attributes:

  1. Impotent to Explore Visual Impressions from Mind: Scanning the past and recollecting memories is normal for individuals. However, these can be arduous for Aphantasics. They avoid recalling the faces of people they think or talk about. More than others, people with Aphantasia often prefer to grasp new info (especially visuals) in smaller chunks to nourish their memory over time.
  2. Incompetent to Create Visual Depiction: Creating a visual wonder in mind needs added tensity. Despite the plethora of benefits of mental images, individuals with Aphantasia often tend to keep away from such cogitations.

Contemplating Engaging Insights 

By definition and manifestations, both these disorders may seem contrasting. However, there is no ideal evidence for the same. Research by Hayk S. Arakelyan[2] depicted that some individuals with Dyscalculia may also suffer from Aphantasia.

To understand the actual scenario behind their connection, we may need to study their complementing and contrasting traits along with other insights. Learning these intuitions can guide you to figure out apt strategies to mitigate compromises.  

Exploring equivalent challenging attributes

1. Cognitive abilities

According to research by Liane Kaufmann[3],  around 20% to 30% of individuals with learning compromises like Dyscalculia can also endure attention and cognitive challenges. This might require such kids to take additional time in the acquisition of academics.

Research like that of Alexei J. Dawes[4] shows that Aphantasia is a condition defined as the absence of visual imagery, rather than a lack of metacognitive awareness of internal visual imagery. The data collected in their research suggested that the imagery may be an acceptable representation tool for wider cognitive processes. This may let us outline the cognitive challenges in individuals with Aphantasia

2. Arithmetic Challenges

Persons with Aphantasia just like Dyscalculics often feel it is taxing to sort out mental arithmetics in math, which often obligates strong visualization. However, they can manage other math notions to leap towards relevant careers. For instance, these individuals may feel it taxing to deal with concepts like geometry, which inculcates visual inference. However, they may effortlessly grasp notions like factors, LCM, and HCFs.   

Apprehending the contrasting traits 

Apart from some significant accompanying attributes, some contrasting attributes mark the dissimilarity between Dyscalculia and Aphantasia. These may assist in determining peculiar pedagogies for each.

1. Visuospatial Memories

Aphantasia by definition lacks Visual Imagery. In contrast, Dyscalculics are dominant in visuospatial memory, implying they are often inordinate visualizers. Research by Denes Szucs[5] illustrated that developmental dyscalculia is dominant in visuospatial working memory, Visuospatial short-term memory, and inhibitory function. Comprehending the above postulates can let you mark how these compromises can be distinct, especially with respect to their visuospatial abilities.

2. Creativity

Evidently, Creativity is linked to Vision. Consequently, People with Aphantasia often strive to compete creatively. In contrast, individuals with Dyscalculia are often more than creative. Further, Aphantasia generally leads to lower scores of IQ[6], while Dyscalculics come with average to higher counts[7].

Rebounding from Dyscalculia and Aphantasia

Comprehending certainly what shortcomings may arise due to Dyscalculia and Aphantasia can ease out determining strategies to revamp personally as well as academically. Despite some traits that juxtapose, a few methods may aid individuals with both the above health conditions. 

  • IEP (Individualized Education Program): Special needs kids can compete with other peers when specialized training for them is ensured. Focusing on what pupils need can refine them academically. IEP, as we all know, ensures the same. These programs are highly customizable, which makes them befitting for all levels of compromises. 
     
  • Make Use of Manipulatives: Possessing a tangible object in hand can make grasping facile compared to the traditional style of instructions. Manipulatives like Legos, blocks, and flashcards can be handy while mastering new notions. For instance, Flashcards can drive a habit of visualization in Aphantasics, while making learning effortless for Dyscalculics.
  • Adapt to Rely on Verbal Memory: Humans are not new to adaptations, the brain can adapt to the surroundings when exposed for a long time. Personalities like Ed Catmull showed that adaptation can be the finest strategy to face Aphantasia. Extensive use of verbal memory can drastically bring down the need for visual memory to retain concepts learned in the past, 

Concluding Thoughts

Good math skills and visualization often go hand in hand. Thus, possessing a visual disorder along with a number of disabilities can make it taxing for the learner to compete. Fortunately, they can conquer shortcomings by inferring the underlying structures of every subject. Notable people like Ed Catmulli, the co-founder of Pixar, who has Aphantasia, have been seen to develop compensating strategies to manage his personal flaws.

Offering desirable pedagogies can boost academically and personally by serving pupils device personalized tactics. Inferring the relation- similarities and differences between Aphantasia and Dyscalculia can often bring you to determine custom-tailored preaching styles apart from IEP if applicable.

References:

  1. Dance, C. J. (2021, March). What is the relationship between Aphantasia, Synaesthesia and Autism? https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2021.103087
  2. Mathematics Disorder -Dyscalculia. (2021, April). Hayk S. Arakelyan.
  3. The Diagnosis and Management of Dyscalculia. (2012, November). https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2012.0767
  4. A cognitive profile of multi-sensory imagery, memory and dreaming in aphantasia. (2020). Alexei J. Dawes.
  5. Developmental dyscalculia is related to visuo-spatial memory and inhibition impairment. (2013). Denes Szucs. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2013.06.007
  6. Visual working memory performance in Aphantasia. (2017, October). Christianne Jacobs.
  7. Goldsmiths, University of London. (2013, October). Residual number processing in dyscalculia. Marinella Cappelletti. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2013.10.004

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