Can the existence of highly accessible concrete representations explain savant skills? Some insights from synaesthesia

The present review argues that the reification of abstract concepts provides a psychological mediating mechanism for calendar and lightning calculation and possibly even all savant skills. The argument, which draws heavily on the synaesthesia literature has two main strands. First, there is anecdotal evidence for the presence and utilisation of highly accessible concrete representations of abstract concepts in savants. Second, synaesthetes who possess these structures experience cognitive benefits in the same domain. The present review concludes that the putative mechanism discussed here is plausible and has some empirical support, however, is in need of further testing. A number of ways in which to proceed in this task are suggested.