Synesthesia Essays - Synesthesia, Perception, Cognition,

Synesthesia By Ellie Jo KoehnWhat does a color sound like? What does a word taste like? What does a shape smell like? It may seem ridiculous to even think about, but for four percent of the population, this wonderous condition called synesthesia brightens their reality. It originates from the Greek words; syn' meaning together, and esthesia' meaning sensation, thus loosely defined as senses coming together'. At the most basic level, a synesthetic experience occurs when one sense of part of a sense is activated, causing another, completely unrelated sense or part of a sense to activate as well. This is theorized to be caused by connected pathways in the brain. For example, one of the most common forms of synesthesia (Chromesthesia) transpires when a synesthete (one with synesthesia) hears a sound they will see a color and sometimes a shape associated in their mind with that sound. The synesthete is unable to control this involuntary and irrepressible reaction to stimuli. Remember that sy nesthesia is not a disease, disability, or disorder. Instead, this unique sensory experience is often found enjoyable. Let's explore some different aspects of synesthesia; the various forms and the synesthetes themselves. Theoretically, there are as many types of synesthesia as there are sensory pairings. But of course, the human experience reaches far beyond the basic five senses, to include balance, pain, pressure, temperature detection etc. The possible connections between senses are endless. One type of synesthesia (known as color-graphemic) elicits colors, patterns, or textures, in response to words, letters, and numbers. Another, more advanced, form (termed ordinal-linguistic-personification) is when a synesthetes brain forms complete personalities for ordinals; for example, the number seven is an annoying young boy in a lime green hoodie with a nasally voice. Synesthetic perceptions vary greatly from person to person. Some synesthetes might experience flat colors, while other s will see complex 3D textures and patterns along with the color. No synesthete will see the exact same color associated with the same word or letter, or taste the same flavor associated with the same sound, or feel the same sensation associated with the same smell.Although synesthetes don't share the same synesthetic perceptions, they do have common characteristics. Most synesthetes are female, left-handed, and right-brained learning. The condition is hereditary and becomes apparent at an early age, although they are typically unaware that their unique way of experiencing the world is unusual. Creativity, memorization and artistic ability are also common themes. Synesthesia doesn't get in the way of everyday life for most synesthetes because they are so accustomed to it. In fact, they pity those who don't experience it. Occasionally, a synesthetic experience can be troublesome when a stimulus produces an adverse reaction. For one with mirror-touch synesthesia, watching a violent mo vie can be distressing, as their sense of touch and pain literally mirrors those they are seeing. Unfortunately, research on the topic of synesthesia is considerably limited, mainly because most synesthetes are unaware that their experiences are unique, or they fear of being mocked, or diagnosed with a mental illness. We have seen throughout my speech the unique and extraordinary condition of synesthesia, the various forms, and the individuals who experience it. Next time you hear a song, see a piece of art or taste delicious food, remember others who experience these seemingly ordinary actions in an extraordinary way. Bibliography: 1) Gross, Veronica. "Frequently Asked Questions about Synesthesia." Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) | Human Resources, www.bu.edu/synesthesia/faq/ 2) Choi, Charles Q. "Why It Pays to Taste Words and Hear Colors." LiveScience, Purch, 22 Nov. 2011, www.livescience.com/17156-synesthesia-taste-words-benefits.html 3) Mass, Wendy. A Mango-Shaped Space: a Novel. Little, Brown, 2010 4) Choi, Charles Q. "Why It Pays to Taste Words and Hear Colors." LiveScience , Purch, 22 Nov. 2011, www.livescience.com/17156-synesthesia-taste-words-benefits.html . 5) "Mirror-Touch Synesthesia: Pain Empathy." Synesthesia Test , 29 Mar. 2017, www.synesthesiatest.org/blog/mirror-touch-synesthesia