Audiovisual crossmodal correspondences: Behavioral consequences and neural underpinnings

Research on the crossmodal correspondences has grown dramatically over the last decade. In this review, we focus specifically on audiovisual correspondences between simple auditory and visual stimuli in neurologically normal adults. We review the evidence highlighting the many effects that such crossmodal correspondences have now been documented to have both on people’s perception and on their behavior. The latest research on the neural underpinnings of the correspondences is also reviewed in the context of early perceptual versus later cognitive processes. In addition, we address the thorny issue of the relationship between crossmodal correspondences, sound symbolism, and synesthesia.