Friday 27 July 2007
How Real is Synesthesia?
Hearing Colours And Seeing Sounds:
How Real Is Synesthesia?
In the psychological phenomenon known as "synesthesia," individuals' sensory systems are a bit more intertwined than usual. Some people, for example, report seeing colours when musical notes are played.
One of the most common forms is grapheme-colour synesthesia, in which letters or numbers (collectively called "graphemes") are highlighted with particular colours. Although synesthesia has been well documented, it is unknown whether these experiences, reported as vivid and realistic, are actually being perceived or if they are a byproduct of some other psychological mechanism such as memory.
New research published in the June issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, sheds some light on the veracity of these perceptions.
When anyone views a particular colour, specific neurons in the visual cortex area of our brain are activated. These specific neurons will deactivate, however, if a colour from the opposite end of the spectrum is presented.
Any neuron activated when the colour blue is present will deactivate when it's exact opposite, yellow, comes into the visual field.
Read more from Science Daily
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UC Irvine scientists unveil the 'face' of a new memory Breakthrough study also links learning to a specific chemical process in brain cells
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18 comments:
Whenever I play my guitar, depending on what song it is- I see colors in my mind...but not visually.
Does this have anything to do with the concept of putting bright colors in a baby's room to stimulate their minds?
My second eldest is extraordinally visual, he "sees" words as specific images. It is very common with autistic children, and the methods to teach them use visual charts to reinforce their understanding. Even now, I have a collection of laminated home-made cards we use of symbols, colours and shapes which he instantly recognises at a glance. It all depends on how our brains are wired, doesn't it?
How about the number 4..with 'Red'
The more I think about it..I see an association with numbers and colors of...Jersey's...on the ice.
Must be a Canadian thing Eh?
There is understanding of the senses
There is understanding of the Mind
The first understanding is that we are in a physical 'body' - not that we are the 'physical' body.
The final understanding is that we are the 'physical' body No More.
But biy, was the physical 'body' fun while it lasted - lol!
More sophisticated than a lambo (lamborghini)
More finely tuned than a grand piano
More efficient than a nuclear reactor
More complex than the any other organism, yet the sum total of our 'knowledge' fits into the next generation of memory sticks(?)
Quasar, I stole your comment above from Iris' post.
This post you made is a perfect example that we ARE the physical body; that can be simulated and shrunk into a chip.
Great to see you again too.
I have been barely able to blog recently; but I know where my refuge of spirit is: sites like yours, Iris', Rose.
Hi Deb, it's about word or number association, and colour association
If your brain sees the word RED in blue, it will 'instinctively' try to say blue
Unless you make a conscious effort to tell the brain that the word you are looking at is the word red.
Some people (like mathematicians) can see the world in numbers, most of us see it in pictures - face recognition, place recognition, etc
Some musicians can SEE the notes of music (from their memory).
This is meant to be about people like you who can see colours when they hear (or play) music.
It shows that there is association from memory, like some smells (or sounds) can bring back memories of a place or a time. The smell of fresh bread, the sound of an 'old' song on the radio which takes us back to a happy place, etc
Hi Shrink Wrapped, we all learn words by association as children
Normally when we are trying to teach children to read and write - we just point at the door, the window, the chair, the cat, the dog, etc...
'pictograms' are definitely very useful when learning any NEW language (or even subject or topic).
Some brains are 'wired' different, and some can't create the memory neurons with the same ease - and we all have or develop different abilities, whether it be for languages, maths, art, gymnastics, dance, multitasking or even typing speed. And of course there are various impairments such as colour blindness, dyslexia, etc.
lol Bert,
that is one form of association
Wasn't the General Lee's number 04 too? - or is that more a boys thing
Because of its particular shape we'd have little trouble associating a picture of a banana with the word banana, no matter what colour we paint the banana.
But if the picture of an orange were painted purple or blue, we'd have to make a conscious effort to differentiate it from a peach a plum or some other fruit. The word orange itself being associated with the colour orange.
Hi Naj,
nice to see ya, tosee ya nice.
Thanks for that, I remember vividly leaving that comment at Sojourner's place, though I think he was Iris (for a while) back then
Interesting article. I wonder. I like to think it`s possible. There`s so much we are capable of, yet have no idea how to use.
tea
xo
do you mean The General Lee..from the Dukes of Hazard???
LOL
Cause the number on that car is 01...and definetly a guy thing!!
thank-you....
Your input is very much appreciated.
Hi Tea,
not sure if there is an advantage as such to hearing colours or seeing music as such (per se)
though music has been much used in therapy, and healing - and we all know the uphoria or good feelings a good night out at a Club or an open air concert can bring.
and colour has been shown to be a significant mood enhancer.
This was a study to discover the relation between the vibrations, and to see which neurons were 'fired' (first) so to speak.
The traditional Chinese art of placement and arrangement of space called Feng Shui is based on the flow of Qi (chi), interactions between the five elements, yin and yang and other factors. The retention or dissipation of Qi (Chi) is believed to affect the health, wealth, energy level, luck and many other aspects of the occupants of the space. Colour, shape and the physical location of each item in a space affects the flow of Qi (Chi) by slowing it down, redirecting it or accelerating it, which directly affects the energy level of the occupants.
Hi Bert, lol
So the General Lee - O1 and Orange?
On the matter at your blog, one of the hardest things in the world is to achieve a smooth relationship between two people. But if we want it to work, the best thing is to find how to make it work, not keep nagging about those things that are not working. Otherwise it just becomes more hardwork. All the best!
that was rwally interesting, and explained wonderfully.
i really like the entire look of your blog... and the name too.
went thorugh the comments... find the whole world and how it works amazing, and your blog seems to explain a lot...
07 30 07
Q9 great post! I once read about a mathematician who could do extraordinary calculations in his head because each number had a certain sound associated with it. I know it isn't quite the same thing but probably interrelated concept.
Hi Clezevra, Thanks!
You have an interesting blog too
Hi Mahndisa, well each sound has a number or code on an electronic keyboard, so it is possible that some mind can make the same links, after all it's a very fine margin or thin gap between one memory neuron and the next.
Nice of you to stop by this pseudo parallel site
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