Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026
10:27
Training Synesthetic Letter-color Associations by Reading in Color
Published on: February 20, 2014
23.5K
SynesthesiaColorPicker: An open-source color picker for online synesthesia research
1Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, Netherlands. n.root@uva.nl.
Behavior Research Methods
|March 4, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed SynesthesiaColorPicker, an open-source tool for consistent synesthesia research. This mobile-friendly color picker integrates with popular platforms, overcoming confounds in existing methods.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Synesthesia involves consistent, additional perceptions in healthy individuals.
- Grapheme-color synesthesia, where letters evoke colors, is a common form.
- Current synesthesia research lacks a standardized color-picking tool, hindering reproducibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce SynesthesiaColorPicker, an open-source, adaptable tool for measuring synesthetic color associations.
- To address the lack of standardization and methodological confounds in existing color pickers.
- To facilitate synesthesia research by providing an easy-to-integrate solution.
Main Methods:
- Developed an open-source, mobile-friendly color picker tool.
- Enabled integration with Qualtrics and lab.js/Open Lab experiment platforms.
- Provided downloadable templates, JavaScript code, and instructions on GitHub.
Main Results:
- SynesthesiaColorPicker integrates seamlessly without requiring programming knowledge.
- Data collected with the tool were compared to the established Synesthesia Battery.
- The tool incorporates design choices that mitigate confounds present in prior methodologies.
Conclusions:
- SynesthesiaColorPicker offers a standardized, accessible solution for synesthesia research.
- The tool enhances methodological rigor and reduces barriers to entry for researchers.
- It represents a significant advancement for the study of synesthetic experiences.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Synesthesia
803
Synesthesia is a remarkable condition where stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. People with synesthesia experience a blending or crossing of their senses, such as sight and sound, leading to cross-modal sensations. In this condition, the stimulation of one sense, such as hearing a number or musical note, triggers an experience of another sense, like sensing a specific color, taste, or smell. People...
803
01:24Color Vision
1.8K
Color perception begins in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Two main theories explain how colors are seen: the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. The trichromatic theory, proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and extended by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1852, suggests that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors in the retina. These cones are sensitive to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths corresponding to red, blue, and green.
1.8K
01:22Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
10.4K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
10.4K
01:15Sensory Modalities
4.1K
Sensation typically is the process by which the sensory receptors and sense organs detect stimuli from the internal and external environment and transmit this information to the central nervous system for processing.
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...
4.1K