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Where is January? The month-SNARC effect in sequence-form synaesthetes
Mark C Price1, Rune A Mentzoni
1Psychology Faculty, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. mark.price@psysp.uib.no
Summary
Synaesthesia alters spatial-numerical associations. Individuals with spatial forms synaesthesia showed an automatic month-SNARC effect, unlike controls, revealing cognitive differences in sequence representation.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Synaesthesia Research
Background:
- The spatial-numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect demonstrates implicit links between sequential and spatial representations in non-synaesthetes.
- This effect typically shows reaction time advantages for left-hand responses to early sequence members and right-hand responses to late members.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the SNARC effect using calendar months as ordinal sequences in individuals with spatial forms synaesthesia.
- To compare sequence representation and SNARC effects between synaesthetes and normal controls.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted comparing 16 normal controls with four participants exhibiting spatial forms synaesthesia.
- Participants performed tasks involving calendar months (January-December) to assess the SNARC effect, measuring reaction times (RT).
- The spatial arrangement of months within the synaesthetes' experienced spatial forms was noted.
Main Results:
- An automatic month-SNARC effect was observed in synaesthetes, with a reversed left/right-hand advantage correlating with their spatial year forms.
- No significant month-SNARC effect was found in the 16 normal control participants.
- These findings indicate distinct cognitive mechanisms for sequence representation between synaesthetes and non-synaesthetes.
Conclusions:
- Spatial forms synaesthesia significantly influences the SNARC effect, demonstrating a direct link between subjective spatial experiences and cognitive processing.
- The absence of the effect in controls challenges previous interpretations of SNARC effects in non-synaesthetes.
- Further research into synaesthetes' SNARC effects may refine our understanding of sequence representation in the general population.
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