Synesthesia

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Synesthesia Erin Hollis
http//www.msnbc.com/news/996965.asp?0cvHA01
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What is a synesthete?

• One sensory input evokes another
• sights can have sounds
• sounds can have tastes
• black-and-white numbers/letters can have colors

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Case Study Julian Asher

• symphony concerts
• violins as rich burgundy
• pianos as deep purple
• cellos as mellow gold of liquid honey

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Case Study Patricia Lynne Duffy

• author
• Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens
• 5 2 green
• color for 7

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Tests

• Dr. Ramachandran and Edward Hubbard
  
  
• University of California, San Diego
• black-and-white 2s hidden among 5s

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Findings

• 2s popped out immediately
• saw in contrasting colors

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New Survey

• 84 synesthetes
• 26 professional artists/musicians/ writers
• 44 serious amateurs

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Why is it developed?

• no real answer
• unusually dense connections between sensory
  connections
• activate connections that are usually inhibited

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The rest of us

• have same connections
• use them regularly
• use at very low levels

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Examples

• cold as bitter
• cheddar cheese as sharp
• hot pink as loud