Synaesthesia and Individual Differences

A multidisciplinary exploration of the relationships between linguistic-colour synaesthesia and various dimensions of individual differences in human cognition.

Aleksandra Maria Rogowska (Author)

9781107096189, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 19 March 2015

200 pages, 36 b/w illus. 8 colour illus. 10 tables
23.5 x 16 x 1.5 cm, 0.5 kg

'The scope of Rogowska's book is expansive, and I can certainly see researchers from many fields gaining insight from this book. It is not always evident how accessible the material will be for nonspecialists, but overall, Rogowska has made a convincing case for the need to investigate synaesthesia's connection to personality, temperament, and other individual characteristics.' Carolyn Purnell, The American Journal of Psychology

Synaesthesia is a fascinating cognitive phenomenon where one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another. For example, synaesthetes might perceive colours when listening to music, or tastes in the mouth when reading words. This book provides an insight into the idiosyncratic nature of synaesthesia by exploring its relationships with other dimensions of individual differences. Many characteristics of linguistic-colour synaesthetes are covered including personality, temperament, intelligence, creativity, emotionality, attention, memory, imagination, colour perception, body lateralization and gender. Aleksandra Maria Rogowska proposes that linguistic-colour synaesthesia can be considered as an abstract form of a continuous variable in the broader context of cross- and intra-modal associations. There has been a resurgence of interest in synaesthesia and this book will appeal to students and scientists of psychology, cognitive science and social science, and to those who are fascinated by unusual states of mind.

Introduction: is synaesthesia normal?
1. Exploring the structure and distribution of linguistic-colour associations in the concrete-abstract and strong-weak dimensions
2. Reconciling objective and subjective assessments of linguistic-colour associations: exploring the relationships between linguistic-colour synaesthesia and self-related sensing, body lateralization and gender
3. Cognitive determinants of linguistic-colour associations
4. Relationships between linguistic-colour synaesthesia and individual differences in absorption, creative thinking, types of mind and intelligence
5. Exploring the relationships between linguistic-colour associations and self-reported traits of personality and temperament
General conclusions
Appendices.

Subject Areas: Neurosciences [PSAN], Genetics [non-medical PSAK], The self, ego, identity, personality [JMS], Perception [JMRP], Cognition & cognitive psychology [JMR], Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology [JMM], Psychology [JM], Society & social sciences [J], Psycholinguistics [CFD], Linguistics [CF]