SfN: Do you have synesthesia?
Synesthesia is one of those weird brain conditions that fascinates researchers and the public alike. For the uninitiated, synesthetes are people of sound mind and regular intelligence who, for reasons unknown, get their senses mixed up. They hear sounds when they read words, or see colours when they hear sounds. Or experience a change in temperature when they touch things. And so on: just about every possible combination of mixed-up senses has been reported by researchers who study synesthetes. But something about this work has always bugged me: how do the researchers know their subjects aren't just making it up?
I talked to David Eagleman of the University of Texas earlier today and he explained that it's all about consistency. He has studied hundreds of synesthetes and says that they always report the same kind of associations. If someone sees the colour green when they read the word Tuesday, then Tuesday will always be green for that person. It doesn't matter how many words you ask them to link to colours, they will always link the two things in the same way.
He also says that around 1% of the populations are synthesthetes. So if you think you might be a synesthete, check out http://synesthete.org. Eagleman has put all his tests up there, and you can run them on yourself.
Comments
It's also about speed - even if people were to practice their 'made up associations' they wouldn't be able to produce them as fast as synaesthetes... well assuming they don't practice 4 hours a day for a few years ;)
Posted by: steve | October 16, 2006 04:31 PM
i'm 15 years old female
erm i seem to associate alot of things with smells and colours when someone says the word really i see red and until i researched Synaesthesia i never really thought about it and when i think of the sky i smell gas and it happens with many other things can you please help?
Posted by: Laura | February 20, 2007 08:17 PM
Dear Friend: we want inform about de First and second congress international
about synesthesia, science and art. here in Spain.
You can see this information in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89SCNJj-evQ (documental)
http://www.artecitta.es/ICongreso.htm
http://www.sinestesia2007.info
Please. can you put this links in your page web.
Thank you very much. I hope you can participated here the next time.
All the best
Mª José de Córdoba Serrano,PhD
Researcher on synesthesia, artist and multi-synesthete.
Dpto. Investigation, diffusion and promotion. Foundation International
Artecittà
info@artecitta.es
Posted by: artecitta | May 22, 2007 05:22 PM
I discovered the name for what I had, finally! And I actually cried. Synesthesia. I can't remember a time when letters, numbers, words, months days were certain colors. And shapes were either pleasant or painful. I've just recently read about personification of inanimate objects, too. That explains SO MUCH in my life! I feel very isolated, and would love to connect with other synesthetes. I'd also like to comment to Laura, the 15 year old synesthete. You are so blessed to figure this out so young! Really, it beats finding out at 48. I just thought I was very different, and didn't know it was a "normal" thing.
Posted by: Lola Wipperman | June 18, 2007 09:15 AM
1=blue,2=yellow,3=brown,4=green,5=red,6=orange7=purple,8=darkpurple,9= wine(vino)
monday=blue,tuesday=red,wednesday=brown,thrusday=green
friday=orange, saturday=light blue
sunday=yellow
Posted by: Andres Nieto | August 23, 2007 07:40 PM
"Third International Congress of synesthesia, Science and Art. Grenada 2009", to be held at the Science Park, 26 - 29 April, 2009.
http://www.parqueciencias.com/novedades/rectaFinal/
Se ofrecerá a todo el público, una exposición de carácter científico sobre Will be offered to the general public, an exhibition on scientific
los sentidos en las instalaciones del parque de las ciencias. the senses in park for science.
SINESTESIA es el término utilizado para describir un conjunto de estados cognitivos relacionados con la unión de los sentidos. Sinestesia is the term used to describe a set of cognitive statements related to the union of the senses. Etimológicamente hablando, sin: unión y estesia: sentidos = Unión de los sentidos.
Recent research in this area are extremely attractive to the knowledge of the human mind.
Es una ventana abierta a nuestro cerebro y podría resolver muchas de las incógnitasr relacionadas con la Percepción y el pensamiento.
It is an open window to our brain and could solve many of the incógnitasr related to the perception and thinking.
Nuestro comité Organizador cuenta con los siguientes investigadores , Our Organizing committee, ponentes y expertos en sinestesia: rapporteurs and experts in synesthesia:
Directores: Mª José de Córdoba.( F.I.A.C.) y Emilio Gómez ( Ugr).
Dina Riccò ( Univ. Politécnica de Milán).
Coordinador Internacional: Sean A Day, (ASA)
Comité Científico: Dr. Edward M. Hubbard
Presentación del resto de colaboradores y coordinadores:
Francisco Tornay y Sergio Moreno. Psicología. Ugr
Juan Carlos Sanz ( Experto en Color).
Carlos Villalobos. Dpto. Dibujo. BBAA. Ugr.
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Pinto. Dr. ESCO
Tremedad Gnecco. Ciencias de la Educación. Ugr.
Traducción simultánea: Julia López de la Torre.
Principal lecturer
Lawrence E. Lawrence E. Marks, Ph.D. Marks, Ph.D.
Director John B. Director John B. Pierce Laboratory Pierce Laboratory
Professor of Epidemiology and Psychology Professor of Epidemiology and Psychology
Yale University Yale University
La Fundación Internacional Artecittà, después del éxito obtenido en el Primer Congreso internacional (como acto inaugural de su constitución), celebrado en Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería, decidió en colaboración con la Universidad de Granada y Universidad Politécnica de Milán, organizar el II Congreso Internacional de Arte y Sinestesia con el propósito de mostrar y reunir los avances realizados por investigadores y expertos europeos y norteamericanos de gran prestigio, en cada uno de los numerosos aspectos de la Sinestesia.
The International Foundation Artecittà, after the success at the First International Congress (such as opening ceremony of its constitution), held in Cuevas del Almanzora, Almeria, decided in collaboration with the University of Granada and Polytechnic University of Milan, organize the Second International congreso Synesthesia, Science and Art with the aim of displaying and collecting the progress made by researchers and experts from European and American prestige in each of the many aspects of synesthesia.
Con un enfoque interdisciplinar el Congreso estuvo especialmente dirigido a neurólogos, psicólogos, artistas, lingüistas, historiadores del arte, músicos, educadores e investigadores en discapacidades sensoriales, estudiantes y sinéstetas en cualquiera de sus categorías .
With an interdisciplinary approach Congress was particularly targeted at neurologists, psychologists, artists, linguists, art historians, musicians, educators and researchers in sensory disabilities, students and synaesthetes in any of their categories .
El comité organizador, internacional, ha decidido celebrar el tercer congreso en Granada por la gran acogida que tuvo este tipo de investigacíones interdisciplinares emergentes, propuestos por FIAC en el 2007 y por ser una ciudad marcada culturalmente y que, en aspectos científicos y de investigación, se está revelando con gran fuerza .
The organizing committee, international, has decided to hold the third congress in Grenada for the great welcome they had such emerging interdisciplinary research, proposed by FIAC in 2007 and for being a city steeped in culturally and in science and research, is revealing with great force.
It opens again call to participate in the parallel event called MuVi (Visual Music), aimed at artists, musicians, designers, university professors and students with artistic projects relacionados con color y sonido. related to color and sound.
En esta segunda edición, se dotará un premio a la mejor obra presentada. In this second edition, will provide a prize for the best work submitted (1000euros). La convocatoria se abre en Mayo/Junio de 2008.
The call was opened in May / June 2008.
La Fundación, en colaboración con la Diputación provincial de Granada, nuevamente, organizará con los trabajos seleccionados una exposición paralela durante las fechas del congreso.
The Foundation, in collaboration with the provincial council of Granada, again, with selected works will organize a parallel exhibition during the dates of the congress. La Diutación promocionará a los artistas seleccionados en sus circuitos culturales.
The provincial council of Granada promote the artists selected in their cultural circuits.
Submissions will be organized within these areas:
Neurológica y lingüística Neurociencia y cognición / Neuroscinece and cognition
Neurológica y lingüística / Neurology and linguistic
Psicológica y psiquiátrica / Psychological and psychiatric
Lingüística y literaria / linguistic and literary
Percepción, creatividad y sinestesia/ Perception, creativity and siynethesia
Farmacológica / Farmacologic
Didáctica y educación / Teaching and education
Artística / Artistic
Gráfica, diseño y sinestesia / Graphics, design and synesthesia
Nuevas tecnologías y sinestesia/ New Technologies and synesthesia
Música y sinestesia / Music and synesthesia
Parallel activities to Congress
"Visual Music". Exposición Internacional de video y animación sobre sinestesia y música visual. International Exhibition of video and animation on music and visual synesthesia.
Palacio de los Condes de Gabia..
Visita a "Escenario de Imagen" en Huétor Vega, Granada. Visit to "Scenario Image" in Huétor Vega, Grenada.
PROYECTO PASO DEL ZUTE Project underway OF zuten
Juegos y sonidos oculares de La Alhambra de Granada. Games and sounds eye of the Alhambra in Granada.
INDUCCION A LA SINESTESIA INDUCTION TO sinestesia
Duración 2 horas. Running time 2 hours. Máximo 20 personas por visita Maximum 20 people per visit
TRANSPORTE Y ENTRADA GRATUITO, COPA DE VINO DE HUÉTOR VEGA Transport and Free admission, glass of wine OF Huétor Vega
www.pasodelzute.com www.pasodelzute.com
Contacto: José Luis López Rojas
Se preven otras actividades paralelas de las que iremos informando puntualmente Other activities which we will report on time.
http://www.sinestesia2007.info (información del pasado congreso) http://www.sinestesia2007.info (information from the past Congress)
(Para los que quieran asegurar espacio en el programa científico, deben respetar rigurosamente estos plazos). (For those who want to secure space in the scientific programme should strictly observe these deadlines: Ponente científico: abstracts: 1 de septiembre de 2008 al 1 de enero de 2009.
Reporter scientific abstracts, (for presentation 20’), before September 1, 2008; Short presentations and posters until January 1, 2009. Comunicación completa: 15 de Communication complete: 15 Febrero de 2009 , para publicación de actas que se entregarán durante el desarrollo del congreso). February 2009.
Posted by: III Congress International Synesthesia, Science & art 2009 | May 16, 2008 06:26 PM
do you know if there's some way I could contact David Eagleman?
I research synesthesia in my spare time, and I have a few questions for him.
Posted by: DJ | August 7, 2008 10:38 PM
Oh my gosh! I might have this! I see colors when i think of words and patterns too. I also get pictures in my mind when i talk or think about days or dreams or anything for that matter. My parents say that they both don't do that and could it be this? I'm 13 so how could I find out? Please help
Posted by: Kelsey Luks | October 22, 2008 03:24 AM
Hello, I'm guessing I must have synaesthesia. When I relax,I always see purple. And when I was at the eye doctors, the put this drop in my eye, and I immediately tasted a sharp minty taste in my mouth.
Posted by: Paris | January 16, 2009 08:40 PM
So Im pretty sure I have a watered-down, so to speak, verzion of this, considering everytime i hear certain words I associate them with colours
such as Star=soft blue
Piano=red Miss=Teal etc.
and
when I smell things I picture colours like...
my friend's room smells like purple, and its not just a one time thing, its everytime I go in there it does.
And my living room smells forest green
Posted by: Mel | March 22, 2009 01:23 AM