The latest research on dj vu, out-of-body experiences and other head games
Posted 10.15.2007 at 2:00 am
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Mirror-touch Synesthesia
What It Is: Mirror-touch synesthetes feel sensations they see from a distance: a pleasant caress when a couple hugs on the street corner, pain when Bruce Lee strikes an enemy in Enter the Dragon.
New Research Shows:A study by psychologist Jamie Ward, then at University College London, revealed that although mirror-touch synesthetes are emotionally empathetic-when they see others feeling sad, they feel sad too-they aren't any better than normal people at understanding other people's problems. Their visual empathy is reflexive, not conscious.
What It Means: Sensation is, at its core, just neurons firing. For mirror-touch synesthetes, it happens that their neurons fire in response not only to touch but to visual triggers as well.
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