Synesthetic associations of letters and colors: exploring their impact on focus and concentration
Professor Anina Rich's Research Unveils Insights into Synaesthesia and Attention
Cognitive neuropsychologist Professor Anina Rich is delving into the fascinating world of synaesthesia, a condition where stimulation in one sensory modality involuntarily triggers experiences in another. Her research at Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science focuses on the integration of information across the senses, including synaesthesia.
Rich's journey into the field began during her university days, where she majored in physiology and psychology with a genetics minor. A transformative third year, marked by lectures given by Professor John Bradshaw on neuropsychology, sparked her interest in psychology. This interest led her to undertake her honours project at Monash University, which focused on synaesthesia, making it the first group study on the subject.
In her PhD, Rich delved deeper into the role of attention in synaesthesia. Her work, published in Nature, revealed that the color association in synaesthesia happens only if subjects have enough time to look at the letter. This finding underscores the importance of attention in the brain's ability to manage and prioritise sensory information.
Rich's lab, based on inclusiveness and diversity, is home to numerous scholars from various backgrounds, including Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders, refugees, and at-risk scholars. She is passionate about getting people to be more mindful about where they allocate their attention, believing that the choices we make about where we direct our attention shape our experiences, knowledge, and understanding.
The phenomenon of synaesthesia, where a person's senses mix in unusual ways, such as a musical note triggering a flash of color that only they can see, provides valuable insights into how sensory information is combined and attended to by the brain. Rich's research emphasises the relevance of synaesthesia to broader cognitive processes such as awareness and experience.
Interestingly, synaesthesia depends on conscious recognition of the letter, according to Rich. For instance, synaesthetes were found to be slower at identifying a color if the letter shown didn't match the one their brain normally associated with that color. This suggests that the brain's ability to integrate information across the senses is integral to memory, awareness, understanding, and the ability to learn and connect.
Professor Anina Rich's lab continues to push the boundaries of our understanding of synaesthesia and attention. With at least 164 different types of synaesthesia, and new variants being discovered every day, the field is ripe for exploration. Rich's dedication to her research, combined with her commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, promises an exciting future for the study of synaesthesia and its implications for our understanding of the human mind.
[1] For more information, please refer to Professor Anina Rich's published works.
- Professor Anina Rich's research in the field of cognitive neuropsychology centers not only on synaesthesia but also extends to broader aspects such as health-and-wellness, including mental health and personal growth.
- Rich's work emphasizes the significance of fitness-and-exercise and nutrition in maintaining general well-being, particularly in relation to mental health.
- Addressing women's health is a crucial aspect of education-and-self-development, and Rich's lab encourages diverse scholars, including women, to delve deeper into this subject.
- Rich's inspiration for her research in synaesthesia stems from her strong belief in learning and self-development, envisioning a more inclusive world where everyone is mindful of their attention and its impact on their experiences, knowledge, and understanding.
