Neha Darimadugu

Examining for Difference of Creativity in Young Adolescent Synesthetes vs. Non-Synesthetes

Started Nov. 1, 2021

Abstract or project description

Synesthesia is a psychological condition that conjures the ability within oneself to experience and undergoes multiple senses at once. For instance, a synesthete who engages in a musical activity may associate a symbolic color or taste that corresponds to the music they hear. Previous experiments have shown that the prevalence of synesthesia is 2% to 4%, especially due to the fact that younger adolescents are more likely to have the condition than adults (Simner et. al. 2006). Since syntesthetes have a greater, heightened creativity and imagination in comparison to non-syntesthetes, I plan to investigate whether differences in creativity exist between syntesthetes and non-syntesthetes in young adolescents. To test the hypothesis, young adolescents will receive a battery of examinations to assess for their individualized level of synesthesia. The questionnaires include psychological test approaches such as the Stroop Effect, Test Retest Method, and Color Diversity to trigger the reflexes syntesthetes are particularly capable of. Next step would be to analyze the creative differences between syntesthetes and non-syntesthetes by allowing participants to utilize their creative license and draw images and write stories that relate to their lives. The fruitful benefits of the investigation would hopefully be that I am adding to the very limited amount of research on synesthesia and provide leeway as well as representation for any future experimenters. The results provide additional literature for synesthesia in younger adolescents versus older generations, further showcasing the condition’s prevalence in children. Due to the numerous forms of synesthesia, the relevant causes and effects of this condition differ between unique individuals of a population.