Imagery priming of binocular rivalry is not a reliable metric of individual differences in the subjective vividness of visualisations.

Most people can imagine images that they experience within their minds eye. However, there are marked individual differences, with some people reporting that they are unable to construct mental images at all (aphantasics), and others who report having imagined experiences that are as realistic as seeing (hyper-phantasics). The vividness of imagined images is most often measured via subjective self-report. Chang and Pearson (2018), however, have suggested that a binocular rivalry (BR) protocol can be used as an objective measure. They found that pre-imagining a moving input could enhance performance on an objective probe detection task when probes were embedded in imagery consistent inputs, as opposed to imagery inconsistent inputs. To date, nobody has assessed if this type of objective imagery priming can be used to predict the vividness of different peoples visualisations. Here, we report that imagery priming of objective sensitivity to probes within static BR inputs does not correlate with the typical ratings people use to describe the vividness of their visualisations (a between participants effect). However, objective priming of sensitivity to probes embedded in BR inputs was greater on trials when participants reported that their pre-imagined experience had been relatively vivid (a within participants effect). Overall, our data suggest that while imagery can prime objective sensitivity to probes during BR, there is currently no strong evidence that this effect can be used as an objective method of predicting the subjective vividness of different peoples visualisations. Highlights[tpltrtarr] There are marked individual differences in the subjective intensity of visual imagery [tpltrtarr]Most measures of the subjective intensity of visual imagery are subjective [tpltrtarr]A binocular rivalry probe-detection protocol has been suggested as an objective measure [tpltrtarr]The authors find that there is only a very small predictive relationship between outcomes in a binocular rivalry task and participants reported imagery strength [tpltrtarr]We still lack an objective measure that reliably predicts the subjective intensity of visual imagery