Why is auditory imagery highest on average?
Inner speech, music, and environmental sounds may be easier to simulate than smell or taste for many people. Item difficulty and cultural exposure also play a role.
Statistics
Imagination Scores by Sense: Population Data
Imagination varies by sense. In Imagination Index population data, auditory imagery averages highest (~56/100), visual and motor sit near ~45–52, and smell/taste average lowest (~42–47). These are self-report vividness scores from completed assessments—not ability rankings.
Last updated: May 20, 2026
Imagination isn't one ability—it's six. Our population sample shows clear differences: auditory imagery averages highest; olfactory and gustatory tend lowest.
These figures come from completed Imagination Index assessments and update as our sample grows.
Average scores by sense (0–100 scale)
- Auditory: 56.4/100 (median p50 ≈ 71.43)
- Motor: 51.5/100 (median p50 ≈ 60)
- Tactile (touch): 50.6/100 (median p50 ≈ 58.33)
- Gustatory (taste): 47.4/100 (median p50 ≈ 55)
- Visual: 44.9/100 (median p50 ≈ 46.88)
- Olfactory (smell): 42.0/100 (median p50 ≈ 40)
What this means
Higher average in a sense doesn't mean 'better'—it reflects how vividly people in our sample report imagining in that modality. Olfactory and gustatory prompts are genuinely harder for most people.
Overall population average: 48.73/100.
Compare yourself
Percentiles in your Imagery Profile show where you fall relative to this sample—not an absolute truth about humanity, but a useful reference point.
About this data
Based on Imagination Index assessment population sample. Updated May 2026.
Related guides
FAQ
Do these averages apply to everyone?
They describe our current assessment sample. Individual profiles vary widely—percentiles show where you fall relative to this group.
Sources & further reading
- Imagination Index population baselines (internal)
- How is imagination measured? — Imagination Index
See your Imagery Profile
Take the assessment to see your percentile on each sense compared to our population sample.