The Mystery of Synaesthesia Trivia Quiz

Answer: Greek

The word "Synaesthesia" comes directly from the Greek (syn-) "union", and  (aísthesis) "sensation", thus meaning something akin to "a union of the senses".  "Synaesthesia" is the British English spelling of the word; in American English, it is often spelled "Synesthesia", without the "a". 

Answer: All of these

All of these are considered possibilities for the cause of synaesthesia, although no-one has come up with a solid scientific conclusion yet. Many researchers believe we are all born with the particular X chromosome gene but most of us grow out of it or lose it.

A recent study has also shown that when certain synaesthetes hear spoken words then the parts of the brain normally dedicated to colour are used (Nunn et al., 2002). This suggests that parts of the brain that are normally used to process colour derived from vision are used instead to process colour derived from speech, Overloading of the sensory signals is an older and less common theory now. Of course it could be a combination of some or all of these.

Answer: 50

From studies, researchers found that around half of all synaesthetes have more than one type of synaesthesia, such as taste, sound and touch, all producing colours (Day, 2002). Chains may potentially exist, such as speech producing taste and taste then producing colour.

Answer: 3 and a half

In 1922 A. K Whitchurch reported in a essay in the 'American Journal of Psychology' on a case of a three-and-a-half year old boy, in whom noises produced colour (e.g. an electric fan sounded orange, and a frog bluish)

Answer: About one case per 25 persons

While estimates have initially differed widely (ranging from 1 in 20 to 1 in 200,000), most recent research arrives at incidence rates around 1 per 25 people.

Answer: Phil Collins

David Hockney, the British artist, has the condition. He is quoted as describing the sets he has created for operatic productions as "painting themselves" after he had heard the score. The composer Alexander Scriabin created his symphony "Prometheus", a poem of fire for orchestra and simultaneous light show in which each musical note is accompanied by the colour it triggered in Scriabin's mind. Vladimir Nabokov, the Russian author, spoke of his own experience in an interview in the "Listener" magazine in 1962.

He described it as a "rather freakish gift of seeing letters in colour". He also wrote in detail about his own and his mother's synaesthesia in his autobiography.

Answer: Richard Cytowic

Published in 1993 Richard Cytowic's book is widely celebrated. Julia Nunn has written published essays on synaesthesia and written psychology books, Daphne Maurer has written several essays that appear in books on synaesthesia. Patricia Lynne Duffy wrote 'Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens: How Synaesthetes Colour Their Worlds' 2001. Weiss has done some research into synaesthesia.

Answer: Yes

Studies in the U.S. have shown a female-to-male ratio of 3:1 (or 75%) while studies in the U.K. have shown a ratio of  8:1 (or 89%). 

Answer: Yes

Genuine synaesthesia is spontaneous, specific, consistent and durable. In tests, blindfolded subjects have been asked to give colour associations for letters, numbers and words. Tested again, hours, days and even months later, colour synaesthetes give a perfect repetition of original associations, while control subjects are around 85% inconsistent.

In addition, synaesthetes tend to give scrupulously detailed descriptions of colours, rather than the basic primary and secondary colour names.

Answer: Synestesi

In Swedish, it's "Synestesi". In Danish it is "Synæstesi" . The Dutch word is "Synesthesie". In Finnish, "Synestesia" . In French, it's "Synesthésie", one type of which is "audition colorée", "colored hearing". In German, it's "Synästhesie", and colored hearing is "Farbenhören". In Italian, "Sinestetici"; in Polish, "Synestezja"; in Russian, "Sinestezia" .