What is synesthesia and how does it work? Oregonians weigh in.

Think Out Loud

Have you ever heard a color, or seen a piece of music? Maybe you’ve tasted a sunset, or felt a particular smell? If so, you might have synesthesia. It’s a phenomenon in which one or more sensory pathways blend in the brain to create a new experience. Researchers aren’t sure how many people have synesthesia, but estimates range from 1 in 200 to 1 in 20 people.

Elizabeth Schwartz is a freelance writer and music historian from Portland; Forest Mountain Lion is a musician from Eugene; and James Duckwell is a career and technical education teacher at Portland’s Roosevelt High School. They all join us to talk about their experiences with synesthesia, along with Mark Stewart, a professor of psychology at Willamette University who studies the phenomenon.