One- or two-step? New insights into two-step hypothesis and rainbow-like theory for pitch class-color synesthesia.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

This study investigates the mechanisms underlying pitch class-color synesthesia, a cognitive trait in which musical pitches evoke color perceptions. Synesthesia in music particularly involves the association of pitch classes (e.g., do, re, and mi) with specific colors. A previous study introduced the two-step hypothesis, which suggests that pitch class identification precedes color association, and proposed a rainbow-like theory based on color gradients selected by synesthetes. The primary objective is to retest these theories to evaluate their generalizability in explaining pitch class-color synesthesia.

Methods

We employed a dual-task paradigm to assess the robustness of the two-step hypothesis and conducted qualitative interviews to explore the nature

SUBMITTER: Cao A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11758358 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature