The 16th European Congress of Psychology, Moskva, Russia, 2 - 05 July 2019, pp.1225-1226
Synesthesia is a rare perceptual condition which
a certain stimuli is experienced by at least more
than one sensation (Beeli, Esslen and Jancke,
2008). Current study aims to understand the
experience of synesthesia by the aid of
individuals declaring to have synesthesia. In
order to accomplish this aim, the research was
planned to be twofolded. A mixed (QUAL-quan)
design study was applied in order to understand
how synesthesia is experienced by people having
synesthesia. In orders words, while quantitative
part is necessary to confirm the self-report
synesthetes (quan), qualitatative design,
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA),
addresses the main aim the research (QUAL).
Firstly, self-report synesthetes was confirmed by collecting data from both synesthetes (N = 6) and
non-synesthetes (N =22). Eagleman Synesthesia
Test Battery (Eagleman et all., 2007) word and
color lists was conducted to the both samples.
Secondly, a semi-structured question list was
applied to the synesthetes to give meaning to
their experience by using the methodology IPA.
Initially, results of quantitative study revealed that
synesthetes stated consistently associated color
with chosen words compared to nonsynesthetes. Furthermore, four main themes
were emerged from IPA which are (1) not being
aware of rareness of experience, (2) denying of
the rareness of experience, (3) determinants of
associated colors and (4) stability of associated
colors. The study is unique for using both qualitative and quantitative methods to
understand synesthesia including members of a
family can be useful for better understanding of
synesthesia. The study is significant for both a
better understanding the experience of
synesthesia and using the mixed-design for the
synesthesia experience.