Metaphorical synesthesia: These are synesthetic references made in art, music, or poetry. These synethetes report having their joined sensations back to their earliest memories. Sound induced by visual perception (Duffy, 2001)Дifferent Types of Synesthesia (Duffy, 2001) Developmental synesthesia: This is the traditional form described by CytowicвЂ™s 5 diagnostic features. In comparison, only 37% of the control group participants were able to correctly report their parings after one week (Baron-Cohen and Harrison, 1997). 92% accurately identified the same colors for their letters. Without warning a year later the synesthetes were asked to again report their color-letter pairings. Synesthete and nonsynesthete participants were asked to report their colored letter pairings (the control group was asked to make up their own paring). Д«aron-Cohen & Harrison (1997) Simon Baron-Cohen at the Institute of Psychiatry in London tested colored-letter synesthetes for the consistency and durability of their perception. 5.) вЂњ Synesthesia is emotional and noetic (knowledge from experience)вЂќ. 4.) вЂњ Synesthesia is memorable вЂ¦many synesthetes use their association as a mnemonic aidвЂќ. вЂќ Associations last a lifetime, are unique to the individual, and never advance beyond an elementary, unembroidered level. It is perceived externally in peri-personal space, the limb-axis space immediately surrounding the body, never at a distanceвЂ¦вЂќ 3.) вЂњ Synesthetic perceptions are durable, discrete, and generic, never pictorial or elaborated. It cannot be conjured up or dismissed at will, although circumstances of attention and distraction may make the experience seem more or less vividвЂќ. It is unsuppressable, but elicited by a stimulus that is usually identified without difficulty. It is a passive experience that happens to someone. Д¬ytowicвЂ™s five diagnostic features (1993, 1995) 1.) вЂњ Synesthesia is involuntary but elicited.

Synesthetes usually perform normally on neurological tests. Synesthesia is not referred to as a disorder or a deficit. It is thought to be a dominant trait of the X chromosome, and has been observed 3:1 in US women, and 8:1 in UK women. Many synesthetes have excellent memories (perform in the superior range on the Weschler Memory Scale), but show minor deficits in the areas of mathematics, a poor sense of direction, and right-left confusion. Most report having these joined sensations as far back as they can remember. It is likely that many who have synesthesia do not even realize this is a phenomenon unique to them. Prevelance & Characteristics (Cytowic, 1995) It is estimated that about 1/25,000 have some form. As of yet, no one has been able to find a physical translation algorithm between the senses. This was partly due to the inability to find a causal mechanism for the phenomenon, and also due to the shift in the field of psychology towards the objective interests of behaviorism.

Interest peaked between 18, and dropped significantly by 1930.

The first known medical reference comes from the English opthamologist, Thomas Woolhouse, who described a blind man who reported sound-induced colored visions in 1710. However, only at the turn of the 20th century was it settled that this phenomenon was a product of the brain rather than the imagination. History (Cytowic, 2003) Synesthesia has been known in the field of medicine for nearly 300 years. The colored alphabets of 2 synesthetes (Duffy, 2001)Д¬omparison: letters to Chinese characters (Duffy, 2001) For example, sight may induce touch, but touch will not induce visual perception. Synesthetic relationships are usually unique to the individual, and usually only operate in one direction. Most accounts report colored hearing, but colored letters or numbers are also common forms of synesthesia. Any of the 5 senses can be joined, and current research is investigating other sensations, such as that of emotions or the passage of time. This is often referred to as a cross-modal association in nonsynesthetes. Therefore, synesthesia literally means 'joined perception.вЂќ Synesthesia is the merging of 2 or more senses (for example, sound and sight). What is Synesthesia? (Cytowic, 1993) The word synesthesia comes from the two Greek words, syn (together) and aisthesis (perception).

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