Perceptual distortions

Synaesthesia

a perceptual phenomenon characterised by the experience of unusual perceptions in one sensory system after another sensory system has been activated

characteristics of synaesthesia

• Its automatic and cannot be controlled.

• Generally experienced as a one way process.

• Usually consistent

• The way its experienced is unique to the individual

• Its common

Forms of synaesthesia

• Grapheme-colour

• Sound-colour synaesthesia

• Lexical-gustatory

Grapheme colour

when a person sees colours when looking at ordinary symbols, such as numbers and letters.

Sound colour synaesthesia

occurs when sounds cause the secondary perception of colours. 

Lexical-gustatory

when a person sees a word, a taste is triggered.

Spatial neglect

a perceptual distortion that mainly affects visual perception. Spatial neglect refers to an individual’s inability to perceive, report, or orient sensory information located within one side of space.