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The prevalence and cognitive profile of sequence-space synaesthesia

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posted on 2023-06-09, 12:38 authored by Jamie WardJamie Ward, Alberta Ipser, Eva Phanvanova, Paris Brown, Iris Bunte, Julia SimnerJulia Simner
People with sequence-space synaesthesia visualize sequential concepts such as numbers and time as an ordered pattern extending through space. Unlike other types of synaesthesia, there is no generally agreed objective method for diagnosing this variant or separating it from potentially related aspects of cognition. We use a recently-developed spatial consistency test together with a novel questionnaire on naïve samples and estimate the prevalence of sequence-space synaesthesia to be around 8.1% (Study 1) to 12.8% (Study 2). We validate our test by showing that participants classified as having sequence-space synaesthesia perform differently on lab-based tasks. They show a spatial Stroop-like interference response, they show enhanced detection of low visibility Gabor stimuli, they report more use of visual imagery, and improved memory for certain types of public events. We suggest that sequence-space synaesthesia develops from a particular neurocognitive profile linked both to greater visual imagery and enhanced visual perception.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Consciousness and Cognition

ISSN

1053-8100

Publisher

Elsevier

Volume

61

Page range

79-93

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-03-26

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2019-04-16

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-03-26

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