Cite as:
Mills C B, Viguers M L, Edelson S K, Thomas A T, Simon-Dack S L, Innis J A, 2002, "The color of two alphabets for a multilingual synesthete" Perception 31(11) 1371 – 1394
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The color of two alphabets for a multilingual synesthete

Carol Bergfeld Mills, Meredith L Viguers, Shari K Edelson, Amanda T Thomas, Stephanie L Simon-Dack, Joanne A Innis

Received 8 March 2002, in revised form 18 June 2002; published online 9 October 2002

Abstract. Interviews with a multilingual synesthete (MLS), who experiences colored letters for Roman and Cyrillic alphabets and for digits, revealed stable synesthetic experiences over 2½ - 5 years. Colors of Cyrillic letters were based on Roman letters. Four Stroop tests involving both types of letters showed that MLS was able to name print color faster if the colors matched her synesthetic colors, showing that synesthesia is automatic. Letter-naming times for blocks of color were slower than those of actual letters, supporting unidirectionality of synesthesia. Stroop tests with Roman, but not Cyrillic, letters showed MLS acquired new temporary letter - color pairings and her color-naming times for these were not different from those for her original synesthetic colors.

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