Synesthesia for Universal Design
An exploratory thesis on synesthesia as a method for universal design.
Introduction
This thesis aims to study how sound can be paired with paintings based on research in synesthesia. You will be presented with a series of compositional elements (particularly color and shape) from select paintings to pair with a selection of sounds. The survey will take 5-7 minutes to complete.
All data collected and used herein is strictly for educational research purposes only.
Your Information
Please tell me a little bit about yourself. This information will remain confidential and will not be shared with anyone.
For the best auditory experience
USE HEADPHONES
and make sure sound is ON.
Question 2.
Please pair a sound with the image.
© 2020 Layla Thompson-Koch
| University of Baltimore |
M.F.A., Integrated Design
* Instrument sounds courtesy of Philharmonia Orchestra *
Question 4.
Please pair a sound with the image.
© 2020 Layla Thompson-Koch
| University of Baltimore |
M.F.A., Integrated Design
* Instrument sounds courtesy of Philharmonia Orchestra *
Question 6.
Please pair a sound with the image.
© 2020 Layla Thompson-Koch
| University of Baltimore |
M.F.A., Integrated Design
* Instrument sounds courtesy of Philharmonia Orchestra *
Question 8.
Please pair a sound with the image.
© 2020 Layla Thompson-Koch
| University of Baltimore |
M.F.A., Integrated Design
* Instrument sounds courtesy of Philharmonia Orchestra *
Question 12.
Please pair a sound with the image.
© 2020 Layla Thompson-Koch
| University of Baltimore |
M.F.A., Integrated Design
* Instrument sounds courtesy of Philharmonia Orchestra *
Are you a natural synesthete1?
1 syn·es·thete | \ ˈsi-nəs-ˌthēt \ | a person who has the neurological condition synesthesia
If yes, please select your type(s) of synesthesia:
If you don't know, please answer the following questions:
Do numbers or letters cause you to have a color experience? Example: Does the letter J "mean" yellow to you? Or does "5" make you perceive purple?
Do weekdays and months have specific colors? Example: Does July always mean Navy Blue to you? Is Wednesday always orange?
Do you imagine or visualize weekdays, months and/or years as having a particular location in space around you? Example: Is September always located two feet in front of you to the left?
Does hearing a sound make you perceive a color? Example: Does a shrill car horn cause you to see the color green? Does C sharp make you see pink?
Do certain words trigger a taste in your mouth? Example: Does the name 'Derek' taste like earwax?
Do you feel a sense of touch when you smell things? Example: Does the smell of coffee make you feel as though you are touching a cold glass surface?
We have described a few types of synesthesia. Many other unusual blendings of the senses have been reported. Do you suspect that you experience an unusual blending that other people do not have (other than the ones listed above)? These could include automatically hearing a sound when you see movement, or the sense of a shape being triggered by a taste, or experiencing a color when feeling pain.