How To Academy Podcast

Neuroscientist Adam Zeman - The New Science of Imagination

Jan 31, 2025
Join Adam Zeman, a Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology at the University of Exeter, as he reveals the fascinating science behind imagination. He discusses how imagination is our default state, influencing our thoughts and actions daily. Zeman explores intriguing concepts like aphantasia, the mind's eye, and the unconscious mechanics of creativity. He highlights how various experiences shape our imagination and creativity, as well as the interplay between art and science. Discover the transformative power of imagination in our lives!
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INSIGHT

Imagination Mimics Perception

  • Imagining activates brain areas used in actual perception but in a weaker form.
  • This overlap spans vision, hearing, taste, smell, and motor imagery, showing imagination as a sensory rehearsal.
INSIGHT

Default Mode and Imagination

  • The brain's default mode network activates at rest and engages in imagination.
  • It supports recollecting the past, thinking about the future, social reasoning, and moral decision-making.
ANECDOTE

The Origin of "Aphantasia" Term

  • Adam Zeman and a friend coined "Aphantasia" in 2015, naming the absence of a mind's eye.
  • It describes people who can't visualize images, a phenomenon known since the 1880s but newly named.
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