Synaesthetes experience the world as a mixing of the senses, where birdsong can elicit spiky stabs of yellow, and a flute solo sparks off silvery spirals. We will describe a study of synaesthesia that aims to (1) explore synaesthetic experiences induced by auditory input, such as environmental sounds and music, and (2) examine the role of attention in this unusual form of cross-modal integration. We will briefly discuss how investigations into auditory processing in synaesthetes can also provide insights into cross-modal processing of individuals in the broader population, as well as contribute to theories of music cognition and how the brain processes different aspects of auditory stimuli, such as timbre and pitch.

Authors: Linda Sigmundsdottir, Anina Rich and Bill Thompson

Event: SF08: Speed Papers

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