Do you (1) have grapheme-color synesthesia, and do you (2) experience your synesthetic colors as being “out there,” externally located, “projected” onto the surface of or near to the graphemes (what many refer to as being a “projector synesthete”)? If your answer is “yes” to both (1) and (2), we invite you to take part in a research study being conducted by UNLV psychology professor Russell Hurlburt, Ph.D., one of the world’s experts on inner experience.

We are interested in exploring the inner experience (thoughts, sensations, feelings, etc.) of a few grapheme-color projector synesthetes. Our study has been approved by the UNLV Institutional Review Board (IRB). If you have grapheme-color projector synesthesia, are 18 years old or older, and are fluent in English, please fill out an approximately 45-minute questionnaire here:

In this questionnaire, you will first be provided with information about the entire study, our data practices, and an informed consent form. If you agree to participate, you will complete some tasks and answer some questions assessing your synesthetic experiences, your physical and mental health, and your demographic information.

You are not eligible to participate in this study if any of the following apply to you:

• You are 17 years old or younger, 
• You do not have projector-type grapheme-color synesthesia,      
• You are not fluent in English, and/or
• You are color-blind.

Hurlburt is the originator of descriptive experience sampling (DES), which uses a random beeper to provide descriptions of inner experience in everyday life. Although DES has been used in published research studies for over 30 years, it has never been used to study synesthesia. Therefore, your participation in this study provides you the unique opportunity of exploring uncharted waters with Dr. Hurlburt and our research team. Most participants find DES to be enlightening and enjoyable. 

To see DES in action visit: https://hurlburt.faculty.unlv.edu/lena/do_I_have_internal_monologue_sampling.html

We hope that you will take part in our study! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Hurlburt at Russell.hurlburt@unlv.edu or 1-702-895-0194, the principal investigator for this study, or Cody Kaneshiro, clinical psychology graduate student at kanesc1@unlv.nevada.edu.