<p><strong>Short answer</strong><br>
No.</p>

<p><strong>Background</strong><br>
The definition of <strong><a href="https://www.synesthete.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">synesthesia</a></strong> is generally as follows:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>... a perceptual condition of mixed sensations: a stimulus in one sensory modality (<em>e.g.</em>, hearing) involuntarily elicits a sensation/experience in another modality (<em>e.g.</em> vision). Likewise, perception of a form (<em>e.g.</em>, a letter) may induce an unusual perception in the same modality (<em>e.g.</em> a color).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The most common form of synesthesia is thought to be colored hearing: sounds, music or voices seen as colors. Most synesthetes report that they see such sounds internally, in "the mind's eye." Only a minority see visions as if projected outside the body, usually within arm's reach (source: <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar01/synesthesia.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">APA</a>).</p>

<p>Most of the discussions I've had with peers in that field reported to work with people that see letters and numbers to have a particular color. Indeed <a href="https://www.webmd.com/brain/what-is-synesthesia#1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">WebMD</a> reports that</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>One of the most common responses [of synesthetes] is to see letters, numbers, or sounds as colors.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Hence, I think that synesthesia often (but see the <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar01/synesthesia.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">APA site</a>) manifests itself through relatively 'simple' visuals brought about by relatively 'simple' stimuli. The number '4' appears to be green <em>etc</em>. In contrast, the highly cognitive complex associations you are envisioning seem unlikely to occur. Further, synesthesia is mostly coupled to the senses of vision and hearing, and not to motor functions. So, to answer your question, no I don't think so. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-07T22:09:51.287Z
+1 I couldnt think of anything other than what you came up with regarding synaesthesia, however when the question was put forward I was wondering if I was missing something.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-07T11:11:23.877Z
2018-09-07T22:44:28.230Z
2018-09-07T22:44:28.230Z
AliceD
<p>Can the experience of movement when mentally visualizing the network/structure of the code of a complex application, and the information that flows through the network as a programmer be a kind of synesthesia experience, or is there something else at play? Movement akin to being drawn in different directions or tilting forward, as a result of experiencing the structure.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-05T11:02:40.080Z
Welcome to Psychology.SE.  Can you explain what you mean by *"experience of movement when mentally visualizing"*?  Do you mean **physically** *"drawn in different directions or tilting forward"* or some kind of mental movement? What have you found when searching the internet?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-06T12:39:54.967Z
The perception of being physically moved, while not physically moving. I haven't found anything unfortunately.
dsvensson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-06T14:33:49.787Z
Perhaps similar to watching a scary movie scene and getting the urge to move as the character is about to walk right into a trap, but in that case, there might be physical movement involved. In the question however, there's no primal reason to move, and it's more of a tool to experience the abstract information.
dsvensson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-25T15:52:43.510Z
Literally yes. It’s kinesthetic synesthesia and it’s talked about in reference to understand systems abstractly. It’s on Wikipedia and the man who sees shapes is the name of an article about a person with this. Maybe what your describing is different, but I’d recommend googling those two things if you want to compare your experience.
Nicholas Castellanos
<cognitive-psychology><neuroscience><perception><visualization><synesthesia>
Kinetic synesthesia evoked by abstract thoughts?
dsvensson
# Kinetic synesthesia evoked by abstract thoughts?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-04)

Can the experience of movement when mentally visualizing the network/structure of the code of a complex application, and the information that flows through the network as a programmer be a kind of synesthesia experience, or is there something else at play? Movement akin to being drawn in different directions or tilting forward, as a result of experiencing the structure.

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, neuroscience, perception, visualization, synesthesia

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Psychology.SE.  Can you explain what you mean by *"experience of movement when mentally visualizing"*?  Do you mean **physically** *"drawn in different directions or tilting forward"* or some kind of mental movement? What have you found when searching the internet?  
> **username_0**: The perception of being physically moved, while not physically moving. I haven't found anything unfortunately.  
> **username_0**: Perhaps similar to watching a scary movie scene and getting the urge to move as the character is about to walk right into a trap, but in that case, there might be physical movement involved. In the question however, there's no primal reason to move, and it's more of a tool to experience the abstract information.  
> **username_2**: Literally yes. It’s kinesthetic synesthesia and it’s talked about in reference to understand systems abstractly. It’s on Wikipedia and the man who sees shapes is the name of an article about a person with this. Maybe what your describing is different, but I’d recommend googling those two things if you want to compare your experience.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-09-07. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

**Short answer**  
No.

**Background**  
The definition of **[synesthesia](https://www.synesthete.org/)** is generally as follows:

> ... a perceptual condition of mixed sensations: a stimulus in one sensory modality (*e.g.*, hearing) involuntarily elicits a sensation/experience in another modality (*e.g.* vision). Likewise, perception of a form (*e.g.*, a letter) may induce an unusual perception in the same modality (*e.g.* a color).

The most common form of synesthesia is thought to be colored hearing: sounds, music or voices seen as colors. Most synesthetes report that they see such sounds internally, in "the mind's eye." Only a minority see visions as if projected outside the body, usually within arm's reach (source: [APA](http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar01/synesthesia.aspx)).

Most of the discussions I've had with peers in that field reported to work with people that see letters and numbers to have a particular color. Indeed [WebMD](https://www.webmd.com/brain/what-is-synesthesia#1) reports that

> One of the most common responses [of synesthetes] is to see letters, numbers, or sounds as colors.

Hence, I think that synesthesia often (but see the [APA site](http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar01/synesthesia.aspx)) manifests itself through relatively 'simple' visuals brought about by relatively 'simple' stimuli. The number '4' appears to be green *etc*. In contrast, the highly cognitive complex associations you are envisioning seem unlikely to occur. Further, synesthesia is mostly coupled to the senses of vision and hearing, and not to motor functions. So, to answer your question, no I don't think so.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: +1 I couldnt think of anything other than what you came up with regarding synaesthesia, however when the question was put forward I was wondering if I was missing something.  

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