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Stimulus-parity synaesthesia versus stimulus-dichotomy synaesthesia: Odd, even or something else?
Rebekah C White1, Anna Plassart2
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Christ Church, Oxford OX1 1DP, UK;
I-Perception
|June 3, 2015
Summary
Stimulus-parity synaesthesia, where stimuli evoke odd/even feelings, may be more varied than previously thought. This study details a case using "negative" and "positive" instead of odd/even, broadening the understanding of this rare synaesthesia.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Stimulus-parity synaesthesia involves automatic odd/even sensations from inducers like letters or colors.
- This phenomenon was initially described in 1893 and has seen recent renewed interest.
- Existing research primarily focuses on odd/even concurrents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel case of stimulus-parity synaesthesia.
- To investigate variations in the concurrents used in stimulus-parity synaesthesia.
- To highlight the need for broader assessment methods in studying this synaesthesia.
Main Methods:
- Case study of an individual with stimulus-parity synaesthesia.
- Qualitative description of the individual's synaesthetic experiences.
- Analysis of concurrents used in relation to inducers.
Main Results:
- The individual experiences stimulus-parity synaesthesia using 'negative' and 'positive' concurrents.
- This contrasts with the more commonly reported 'odd' and 'even' concurrents.
- The findings suggest a wider spectrum of experiences within stimulus-parity synaesthesia.
Conclusions:
- Stimulus-parity synaesthesia may manifest with a broader range of concurrents than previously documented.
- Current assessment tools might overlook variations in synaesthetic experiences.
- Further research is needed to understand the full scope of stimulus-parity synaesthesia.
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