What Happens During A Synesthesia Test?
What does the color blue sound like? Can you taste certain songs? Does the number one smell like fruit? These may seem like strange questions—unless you’re taking a test for synesthesia. People who have this unique trait may experience uncommon sensory associations like these. There are several different ways in which synesthesia can manifest, and a few different ways to test for it.
What is synesthesia?
Synesthesia is a neurological trait that enables synesthetes to experience involuntary, automatic sensory perceptions from the stimulation of a different sense. For example, an individual may perceive things such as different colors when hearing words or smells when listening to music. There are other types of synesthesia, and the nature of the condition varies among individuals. One synesthete might associate the number twelve with blue, while another could claim that the color blue tastes bitter.
Perception: Synesthesia is harmless
While this experience may seem peculiar to non-synesthetes, it is not considered a disorder or mental illness and generally doesn't have a negative impact on a person's functioning. The cause of synesthesia remains uncertain, though researchers believe it is more common among people with autism or those who are particularly artistic or creative. Family history may also play a role in its development. Synesthesia can emerge later in life due to psychedelic drug use or as a consequence of specific brain injuries.
Different types of synesthesia tests and sensory tests
The way people experience synesthesia varies widely. That said, it can generally be classified into two broad categories: projective and associative.
Projective synesthesia and color-based sensory tests
People who have projective synesthesia may taste, smell, feel, see, or hear certain things as a result of a stimulus that typically triggers a different sense. For instance, someone with projective synesthesia may smell fresh cut grass when they hear a certain song. Another example would be someone who can taste certain words. For example, when they hear the word “bubbles”, they might immediately experience the flavor of vanilla icing on their tongue.
Another way to think about it is that people with projective synesthesia have two sensory responses when only one sense is stimulated, such as hearing colors or seeing scents. Note, however, that this is just a general classification, and that there are over 100 different manifestations of projective synesthesia. Understanding these various forms can help create more accurate synesthesia tests and assessments.
Associative synesthesia and sensory connections
In contrast to projective synesthesia, those with associative synesthesia do not physically experience the additional sensations that are linked to a sensory perception. Instead, they simply feel a strong association. For example, a person might consistently associate the number 15 with the color green, even though they don’t actually see it as green when it’s written down. To these synesthetes, there’s a connection between the stimulation and the sense that’s activated, even if it cannot be seen, felt, heard, tasted, or explained. These sensory connections are automatic and consistent, often forming early in life and remaining stable.
Types of synesthesia tests and color association quiz
Note that a synesthesia test is generally not considered to be an exact science or clinically reliable. However, they can be a helpful place to start for those who believe they may have one form or another of synesthesia.
The synesthesia battery: An online synesthesia test
The Synesthesia Battery can test for various types of synesthesia. It takes the form of an online questionnaire with about 80 questions, depending on your answers as you go. The test is fairly simple and can be completed in about 15 minutes. The questions are mostly sliding scale or multiple choice, and you’ll need to register with the website in order to get your results.
Grapheme color consistency test: Exploring types of synesthesia
This test is for the most common form of synesthesia, which is where a person experiences or associates colors with numbers or letters. The grapheme-color synesthesia consistency test can take different forms, ranging from a simple, five-minute, 20-question quiz to a lengthy and detailed questionnaire that could take you up to an hour to complete. The questions mainly relate to what colors you perceive when you see certain numbers or letters. You’ll be shown a number or letter, and you can move the indicator to make its color match how you see or experience it. This test’s accuracy relies on consistency, as true synesthetes demonstrate stable color associations over time.
Color consistency test: A synesthesia quiz for accurate assessment
Another measure that may help you discover whether you have synesthesia is a consistency test. It’s a computerized test that shows the participant all 26 letters of the alphabet and the numbers zero through nine next to a palette of 13 colors. Similar to the grapheme-color consistency test discussed above, the participant will be asked to choose the color they associate with each letter and number. They’ll do this three times, with the choices randomly disarranged each time. This is because the associations of true synesthesia must be automatic and consistent over time.
What to do with your synesthesia test results
Again, synesthesia is not classified as a mental health disorder, and it may cause a person few or no challenges with day-to-day functioning. If your results from any of these tests indicate you may have synesthesia and you're not experiencing any adverse effects, you can simply enjoy your unique way of viewing the world.
However, some synesthetes may have trouble with sensory overload in highly stimulating environments. Others may even have lower self-esteem if they’re made to feel bothered when they impart their sensory perception style with non-synesthetes. If you’re facing challenges like these, it may be helpful to meet with a therapist. They can create a space where you can process your experience and your feelings about it, and they can help you build self-esteem and learn coping mechanisms for sensory overload.
Online therapy can help with synesthesia and related brain processing challenges
Research suggests that both in-person and online therapy can offer similar benefits to clients in most cases. If you’d prefer to meet with someone in a physical office, you can search for a provider in your area. If you’d prefer to meet with someone virtually from the comfort of your own home, you might consider an online therapy platform like BetterHelp. You can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can meet with via phone, video call, and/or online chat to discuss the issues you may be facing.
Takeaway
How can I tell if I have synesthesia and what types of synesthesia I might experience?
Synesthesia occurs when sensory input from one sense activates a response in another sense. For example, sound-color synesthesia occurs when a sound involuntarily evokes an experience of color. A person with that type of synesthesia might attribute a specific sound to a particular color or pattern. To them, hearing the sound evokes the same sensory experience as seeing the color.
Cross-sensory experiences are the defining feature of synesthesia, but the condition doesn’t always appear the way a person expects. Scientists speculate that there are over sixty types of synesthesia, representing many sense combinations, some of which may not be well known. For example, in lexical-gustatory synesthesia, words evoke the experience of tastes, and in auditory-tactile synesthesia, sounds evoke the experience of touch. You may have synesthesia if you notice those or similar connections between senses.
Your chances of having synesthesia are likely higher if you have family members with the condition. While finding a synesthesia test online is possible, most are not empirically valid and may not provide accurate results. Researchers are actively working on methods to test the synesthesia type of people who report having the condition.
How rare is synesthesia and how does perception affect its identification?
The evidence surrounding the prevalence of synesthesia is mixed. One study suggests the condition is present in about 2%—4% of the population. However, there are many subtypes of synesthesia, not all of which are easy to identify or measure. Inconsistent definitions of the condition make quantifying how many people experience it difficult. Many synesthetes may not be aware they have the condition, leading to other prevalence estimates that range from 1 in 2000 to 1 in 300. As research continues, scientists continue to identify and classify different types of synesthesia, making it easier to quantify how many people have the condition.
Is synesthesia a form of autism or unique brain perception?
Synesthesia is not a form of autism, but it is often associated with it. Evidence suggests that the condition occurs more frequently in individuals who are on the autism spectrum. Synesthesia is also associated with some traits common in those with autism spectrum disorder, such as detail-focused attention, altered perceptual processing, and altered sensory sensitivity. Researchers continue to explore the brain mechanisms linking synesthesia and autism to understand better how these conditions may intersect.
Is synesthesia good or bad, and how does it affect perception?
Whether synesthesia is good or bad depends mainly on the opinion of the person experiencing it. Whether they perceive the condition as a positive or negative experience likely depends on how it impacts them daily. If the condition makes navigating some situations or completing certain tasks more difficult, they might see it as bad. If it provides an enhanced sensory experience that is enjoyable, such as being able to enjoy music as both sound and color, they might indicate that synesthesia is a positive addition to their life.
Is synesthesia a mental illness?
Synesthesia is not a mental illness. The cause of synesthesia is not yet known, but several potential models have been produced. Although synesthesia could interfere with someone’s life in a similar way as a mental health condition, that presentation is extremely uncommon. Currently, synesthesia is not defined as a psychological or neurological disorder.
Can synesthesia go away?
While there is limited evidence investigating how synesthesia changes across the lifespan, researchers believe the condition can change considerably over time. For example, one study found that synesthetes whose experiences involved color were likely to experience a substantial decrease in chromatic sensitivity in old age. Research into the course synesthesia takes as a person ages is still ongoing, and there is currently insufficient evidence to predict whether synesthesia will go away for a specific synesthete. However, educated guesses based on present research indicate that synesthesia typically persists across the lifespan.
What triggers synesthesia?
The sensory experiences of synesthesia are triggered by one sense interacting with another to produce effects across both senses when only one is stimulated. The experience is triggered anytime the person experiences the sensory stimuli related to their synesthesia. Not much is known about what triggers the development of the condition, but researchers have established that synesthesia tends to run in families, suggesting it has a genetic component.
Is synesthesia a disability?
Synesthesia is not typically considered a disability, although many consider it a form of neurodivergence. Although the condition could possibly be disabling for some, most synesthetes do not report difficulty managing the condition, and many are unaware that others are unaware of or do not understand their unique sensory experience.
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