Ian Jordan Report post Posted December 24, 2005 A form of synesthesia is becoming important to my research but there is effectively no information available on this subject published. Could you please help me by telling me if you see visual images by touching objects. I am purposely leaving what I want vague as I don't want to influence results. Everything you say could be helpful as I am trying to model how the sensory systems inter- relate Could you also do a small experiment. In a quiet room - Could you look at a point in the distance whilst someone wiggles their fingers around in an arc around 18 inches in diameter about 15 inches away from the eyes. Does the tone or the volume of any produced sound change in any way. (Most people will not hear a sound- but some do and it is important) Thank you Ian Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted December 24, 2005 Ian, I am assuming you only want those with a diagnosis of an ASD to do this for you. Am I correct? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sue1957 Report post Posted December 24, 2005 I have seen a list of the senses in a book which included a sense called "eidetic imagary" which I think just means having a mental picture of unusual vividness and detail as if actually visible. As an eidetic is someone who is able to see eidetic images, I had thought they had unusual ability with this particular sense, which blindness for example could make more acute because of its survival value? If this is a sense, it could be hyper or hyposensitive, the same as any other, and theoretically could be subject to synesthesia like the others? Is this the type of thing you mean? The book gives 19 senses, but I think there are probably more. The senses are one of my interests, so would be interested in anything you come up with. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Jordan Report post Posted December 27, 2005 Sorry have not explained well. A small number of people appear to have the ability to visualise touched objects e.g. they can visualise more than touch would indicate possible e.g. they can describe the way cloth is woven in detail, they can describe colours when they cannot see them. Whilst people who are not ASD can sometimes experience this phenomenon the hypersensitivity experienced by those on the spectrum enables them to be much better observers than non spectrum observers. The abilities of those on the spectrum is often discounted by others (usually experts!!!!) who believe their abilities cannot be possible - therefore they aren't present. The differences can be exciting and lead to greater understanding of everyone! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted December 30, 2005 Ian - I keep coming back to this thread - i'm not sure if this is what you mean, but i'll explain my sons take on things... He will often say things 'feel' a certain colour, smooth objects are blue etc..... He says he can 'see' blue around it - sometimes before he's even touched the object. The same goes for noises - he says certain noises make a colour flash infront of his face.... We thought it was just his way of explaining emotions - blue being something he likes etc, but as he's grown and is able to explain himself better - it has become apparent he does actually see these colours. Again, he is very sensitive to certain fabrics - some trousers he will not wear because the 'lines arn't right' - when i've had a closer look myself - the fabric threading is crossed. He likes the fabric lines to go down other than criss-crossed. Not entirely sure i'm making much sense - i hope your understanding all this! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites