Temporal sequences, synesthetic mappings, and cultural biases: the geography of time

Conscious Cogn. 2010 Mar;19(1):311-20. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2010.01.003. Epub 2010 Feb 1.

Abstract

Time-space synesthetes report that they experience the months of the year as having a spatial layout. In Study 1, we characterize the phenomenology of calendar sequences produced by synesthetes and non-synesthetes, and show a conservative estimate of time-space synesthesia at 2.2% of the population. We demonstrate that synesthetes most commonly experience the months in a circular path, while non-synesthetes default to linear rows or rectangles. Study 2 compared synesthetes' and non-synesthetes' ability to memorize a novel spatial calendar, and revealed better performance in synesthetes. The capacity to learn mappings between arbitrary spatial forms and temporal sequences is present in all individuals, and time-space synesthetes' enhanced visuo-spatial memory abilities may underlie their creation of idiosyncratic spatial calendar forms.

MeSH terms

  • Association
  • Color Perception
  • Culture*
  • Humans
  • Memory
  • Metaphor
  • Models, Psychological
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual*
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Seasons*
  • Space Perception*
  • Time
  • Time Perception*
  • Visual Perception