The Synesthesia Test Explained
It’s a questionary that shows whether or not you are a synesthete person. The questions are typically about how you sense, feel, or see things. For instance, one question might be, “do you see music?” It sounds like a nonsense query to non-synesthetes. However, people with this condition can associate colors or shapes with sounds—or have other types of interconnected sensations.
The 4 Criteria That the Quiz Evaluates
A standard synesthesia test should consider four primary criteria, spontaneity, unwantedness, stimulations, and perceptuality. See below.
#1: Spontaneity
You cannot decide to turn your interconnected senses on or off. So, the test should determine how spontaneous your condition is. Your brain has no problem relating different feelings and senses to each other. Take a dubbed movie, for instance. Your ears hear different people’s voices. But your brain convinces you that it is the actors’ voice. So, you can link different sensations in your brain. However, a synesthete person’s perception is not a decision. Almost all of them have this condition since they are a newborn baby.
#2: Controllability
“It just happens.” You do not control it. So, as some scientists suggest, “Having synesthesia is like having colored eyes. You did not decide to have them. And you cannot do anything about them. You can only be aware of your condition.”
So, if you wonder, “Am I synesthete?” think about the controllability of your sensations. Are you in charge of them? Or is it more like blinking your eyes?
#3: Stimulations
Several studies show that external stimuli trigger synesthesia. So, the person with this condition reacts to outer incentives rather than making them up in their mind. That is one of the criteria a standard synesthete test should consider.
#4: Perceptuality
The feelings and sensations of a synesthete person are perceptual. So, they see, taste, or touch the stimuli. For example, someone might be able to feel touched when watching other people touching each other.
How to Know if You Are a Synesthete Without Taking the Test
The shortest path to get an answer is by answering the following questions. If you answer yes to two or more of these queries, you probably have the condition. However, it is best to take the full quiz to get a complete result.
- Do you see shapes/colors that others do not?
- Do you feel something that no one else does?
- Do you taste things differently?
- Do you hear music and sounds as if they physically exist?
Note: scientists believe that this condition has many different forms. So, you might answer “no” to all the above questions and still have it.
When You Do Not Need to Take the Synesthesia Test
Not everyone needs to take the quiz. That is because determining non-synesthetes is not complicated. If you have one of the following conditions, you do NOT have synesthesia. And therefore, you do not need to take the test.
If you consume drugs
Several medicines trigger two or more senses at the same time. So, you are not a synesthete person if you feel this way under a specific drug. Scientists suggest that having interlinked sensations is not comparable to hallucination. That is while most medications create a temporary vision that fades away after a while.
If you can control your visions
Having an interconnected brain is not a controllable condition. So, if your visions are under your control, there is no need to take the test. You might have a creative mind that associates various feelings. However, that does not make you a candidate for synesthesia.
- If you can change the quality and quantity of what you see, hear, or feel.
It is not an ability to perceptualize sensations. So, you cannot think of it as a developing skill. If you feel like your visions’ quality and quantity are changeable, you do not need to take the synesthesia test.
Things to Know Before Asking Am I Synesthete?
There are lots of misconceptions and myths around this topic. So, QuizExpo wants you to have five things in mind in advance. The following information helps you understand the synesthete test results better.
It is not a disorder
You do not need to worry. There is nothing wrong with people who see or feel the world this way. If you think about it, you are more like a superhero than anything else. You are gifted with something that not many others have. Your senses are unique. That is something to embrace and be proud of. However, it would help if you remember that synesthete people are not superior. So, do not let your condition make you self-centered. (And do not feel bad if you are a non-synesthetes either. We all have our uniqueness).
You cannot become one
Do not try. Studies show that synesthesia is an inherent condition. So, you cannot turn into a person that has linked senses. 50% of the world’s synesthetes have at least one close relative with a similar ability.
It is not a rare condition
Almost 4% of the world’s population is diagnosed with it. That is more than 300,000,000 people.
It is more common in artists
Van Gogh and Mozart had it, too. And pieces of evidence show that artists have a higher chance to have such an ability. Of course, that is not 100% true. The thing is that having such a unique sensation system makes you a better candidate to become an artist.
Color-related synesthesia types are the most common ones
Studying the cases show that the number of people with Grapheme-Color is higher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a synesthesia music test?
No, it is not. The quiz you are about to take is a general synesthesia assessment.
Do the results determine my type?
Yes. You find out what type of unique abilities you have by the end of the questionary.
How accurate are the outcomes?
Diagnosing someone with synesthesia is a medical procedure. So, the results on an online quiz are somewhat inaccurate. However, the more you answer the questions accurately, the more exact the results will be.
