title: Beyond visual imagery: how modality-specific is enhanced mental imagery in synesthesia?
abstract: Synesthesia based in visual modalities has been associated with reports of vivid visual imagery. We extend this finding to consider whether other forms of synesthesia are also associated with enhanced imagery, and whether this enhancement reflects the modality of synesthesia. We used self-report imagery measures across multiple sensory modalities, comparing synesthetes' responses (with a variety of forms of synesthesia) to those of non-synesthete matched controls. Synesthetes reported higher levels of visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory and tactile imagery and a greater level of imagery use. Furthermore, their reported enhanced imagery is restricted to the modalities involved in the individual's synesthesia. There was also a relationship between the number of forms of synesthesia an individual has, and the reported vividness of their imagery, highlighting the need for future research to consider the impact of multiple forms of synesthesia. We also recommend the use of behavioral measures to validate these self-report findings.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of East London, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, U.K. Electronic address: m.j.spiller@uel.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mary Jane
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Spiller
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of East London, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, U.K. Electronic address: c.n.jonas@uel.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Clare N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, U.K; School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QH, U.K. Electronic address: j.simner@sussex.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simner
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of East London, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, U.K; Department of Psychology, Whitehead Building, New Cross, London SE14 6NW, U.K. Electronic address: a.jansari@gold.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jansari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D000080311:Synesthesia; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Auditory imagery; Gustatory imagery; Mental imagery; Olfactory imagery; Synesthesia; Tactile imagery; Visual imagery