Cross-modal associations involving colour and touch Does hue matter?

Cross-modal associations involve non-arbitrary correspondences between different perceptual modalities. Investigating such associations can provide insights into the mechanisms underlying multisensory integration. This chapter provides an overview of research investigating associations between colour and touch. Studies have shown that associations exist between most tactile/haptic sensations and colour. For sensations of weight, hardness and roughness associations with colour appear driven by lightness/brightness. Saturation also appears to play a role in associations involving some haptic/tactile sensations, though results are somewhat inconsistent across studies. Whilst hue is clearly associated with temperature, its role in associations involving other haptic/tactile sensations is less established. At the end of the chapter, suggestions are made regarding future research in the domain.