Synaesthesia in Autism

Synaesthesia — a phenomenon of perception, when stimulation of one sensory modality triggers a perception in one or more other sensory modalities. Synaesthesia is not uniform and can manifest itself in different ways. As the sensations and their interpretation vary in different periods of time, it makes it hard to study this phenom¬enon. The article presents the classification of different forms of synaesthesia, including sensory and cognitive; and bimodal and multimodal synaesthesia. Some synaesthetes have several forms and variants of synaesthesia, while others – just one form of it. Although synaesthesia is not specific to autism spectrum disorders, it is quite common among autistic individuals. The article deals with the most common forms of synaesthesia in autism, advantages and problems of synesthetic perception in children with autism spectrum disorders, and provides some advice to parents how to recognise synaesthesia in children with autism.

1. Bogdashina O.B. Sensorno-pertseptivnye problemy pri autizme [Sensory-perceptual problems in au­tism] / pod red. E.A. Cherenevoy. Krasnoyarsk: Mezhdunorodnyy Institut Autizma, KGPU. 2014. 200 p.
2. Baron-Cohen S. Is there a normal phase of synaesthesia in development? PSYCHE, 1996. 2. 27.
3. Blackman L. Lucy’s Story. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2001.
4. Bogdashina O. Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2013.
5. Carpenter S. Everyday fantasia: The world of synesthesia. Monitor on Psychology, 2001. 32 (3). 26, 29.
6. Cesaroni L., Garber M. Exploring the experiences of autism through first-hand accounts. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1991. 21, 3.
7. Cytowic R.E. Synaesthesia: A union of the senses. (2nd ed.) Springer-Verlag, 2002.
8. Dixon M.J., Smilek D., Cudahy C., Merikle P.M. Five plus two equals yellow. Nature, 2000. рр. 406, 365.
9. Galton F. Inquieries into Human Faculty and Its Development. L.: Macmillan, 1983.
10. Goether J.W. Theory of Colours. London: J. Murray, 1840.
11. Grossenbacher P.G. Perception and sensory information in synesthetic experience. In Baron-Cohen S., Harrison J. (eds) Synaesthesia: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Oxford: Blackwell, 1997.
12. Harrison J.E., Baron-Cohen S. Synaesthesia: An introduction. In Baron-Cohen S., Harrison J. (eds) Syn­aesthesia: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Oxford: Blackwell, 1997.
13. Jung C.G. Symbols of Transformation. London: Routledge, 1956.
14. King B.R. Strategies for Building Successful Relationships with People on the Autism Spectrum. Lon­don: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011.
15. Lenzberg K. Zur Theorie der Sekundarempfindungen und Bleulerschen Theorie im besonderen. Zeitschrift fur Angewandte Psyehologie, 1923. 21: 283—307.
16. Luria A.R. The Mind of a Mnemonist. Cambridge. MA: Harvard University Press, 1987.
17. Marks L.E., Odgar E.C. Developmental constraints on theories of synaesthesia. In L.C. Robertson & N. Safiv (eds) Synesthesia: Perspectives from Cognitive Neuroscience. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
18. Meier B. Semantic representation of synaesthesia’ Theoria et Historia Scientiarum, 2013. Vol. X. 126— 134.
19. Meier B., Rothen N. Grapheme-colour synaesthesia is associated with a distinct cognitive style. Fron­tiers in Psychology, 2013. 4. 632.
20. Mukhopadhyay T. How Can I Talk If My Lips Don’t Move? Inside My Autistic Mind. New York: Ar­cade Publishing, 2008.
21. Nikolić D. Is synaesthesia actually ideaesthesia? An inquiry into the nature of the phenomenon. Pro­ceedings of the 3rd International Congress on Synaesthesia, Science and Art, Granada, Spain, 2009.
22. Novich S., Cheng S., Eagleman D.M. Is synaesthesia one condition or many? A largescale analysis re­veals subgroups // Journal of Neuropsychology, 2011. 5. 353—371.
23. Simner J. et al. Synaesthesia: The prevalence of atypical cross-modal experiences. Perception, 2006. 35. 1024—1033.
24. Sinclair J. Is cure a goal? www.members.xoom.com/JimSinclair, 1998.
25. Tammet D. Born on a Blue Day. Hodder & Stoughton, 2006.
26. Tammet D. Embracing the Wide Sky. Hodder & Stoughton, 2009.
27. Révész G. Uber audition coloree. Zeitschrift fur Angewandte Psychologie, 1923. 21: 308—332.
28. Riggs L.A., Karwoski T. Synaesthesia. British Journal of Psychology, 1934. 25: 29—41.