Sensation & Perception Ch. 7: Perceiving Color © Takashi Yamauchi (Dept. of Psychology, Texas A&M University) Main topics Trichromatic theory Opponent process theory ch 7 1 Color • Physiologists: – Helmholtz (1821-1894) • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_von_Helmhol tz – Hering (1834-1918) ch 7 2 Trichromatic Opponenctprocess Two stages in color perception Trichromatic stage: 3 kinds of cone receptors (S, M, L) Opponent process At the bipolar or ganglion cells, the difference between S and (M+L) (Circuit 1) and the difference between M and L (Circuit 2) is assessed. The first circuit (Circuit 1) processes the blue-yellow difference. The second circuit (Circuit 2) processes the red-green difference. ch 7 3 What we see is electromagnetic energy ch 7 4 Two types of photo receptors • Cones and Rods • Cones are for color vision ch 7 5 Eye • Photo receptors • Two types of photo receptors – rod & cone ch 7 6 3 types of cones • There are three types cones that are selectively tuned to three different lengths of electromagnetic waves (Short, Medium, and Long) ch 7 7 Color perception is produced by combinations of these 3 types of cones: ch 7 8 Different objects reflect light in a different manners. Some objects (tomato) absorb short waves while reflect long waves create a red surface. Absorb short waves but reflect long waves ch 7 9 What the computer does is the same thing • Pixel • Bit • Illuminating the phosphor with three different electron guns. • Illuminate each pixel with red, green, and blue electron guns ch 7 10 3 types of electron guns: a red gun, a green gun, and a blue gun ch 7 11 Problems with the trichromatic theory ch 7 12 ch 7 13 ch 7 14 ch 7 15 ch 7 16 After Image ch 7 17 ch 7 18 ch 7 19 ch 7 20 More Phenomenological Observations • Visualize something red (apple, fire engine) – Now reddish-yellow – Now reddish-green • People who are color-deficient for red also lack green; same with blue and yellow ch 7 21 ch 7 22 Trichromatic Opponentprocess Trichromatic stage: 3 kinds of cone receptors (S, M, L) Opponent process At the bipolar or ganglion cells, the difference between S and (M+L) (Circuit 1) and the difference between M and L (Circuit 2) is assessed. The first circuit (Circuit 1) processes the blue-yellow difference. The second circuit (Circuit 2) processes the red-green difference. ch 7 23 Opponent-process theory (Hering/Hurvich & Jameson) • Color vision is caused by opposing responses generated by blue and yellow, and by red and green. ch 7 24 After images: Red Green Green Red Blue Yellow Yellow Blue R ch 7 G B Y 25 Color perception R B G adaptation After image Y adaptation After image ch 7 26 ch 7 Responses of opponent cells in the monkey’s LGN 27 Fig. 7-20, p. 155 Opponent-process theory Relative responses S M L S M L S, M, and L cones have inhibitory and excitatory connections at LGN. Inhibitory Excitatory ch 7 28 Trichromatic Opponenctprocess Two stages in color perception Trichromatic stage: 3 kinds of cone receptors (S, M, L) Opponent process At the bipolar or ganglian cells, the difference between S and (M+L) (Circuit 1) and the difference between M and L (Circuit 2) is assessed. The first circuit (Circuit 1) processes the blue-yellow difference. The second circuit (Circuit 2) processes the red-gree difference. ch 7 29 Why is this process efficient? • Distinguishing the two wavelengths, 1 and 2 is very hard using just the M and L receptors. • Opponent process create two categorical responses + or – ch 7 30 ch 7 31 ch 7 32 ch 7 33 Huichol masks (Mexican Indian tribe) ch 7 34 ch 7 35 ch 7 36 Color blindness • Can be caused by the disorder in cone receptors, optic nerves, and/or other higher brain areas responsible for color perception (e.g., V4). • Most problems in color vision is associated with problems with the cone receptors in the retina. ch 7 37 • Monochromat – Cannot distinguish any color from gray. (all or two of the cone systems are compromised) • Dichromat – Only one cone system is compromised. ch 7 38 Constancy • Color constancy – We perceive the colors of objects as being relatively constant even under changing illumination. – A green sweater is green no matter where you see it. – How come? ch 7 39 ch 7 40 • Background knowledge and your memory contribute to color constancy. • You compare the color of your sweater with other surrounding things. • Adaptation ch 7 41 Lightness constancy • Both top-down and bottom-up processes are going on. ch 7 42 Different amounts of light are reflected from the same surface in (a) and (b). But our perception of lightness is pretty much the same (lightness constancy) How come? ch 7 43 Lightness constancy • Constancy is so prevalent that we even don’t notice that. • My skin reflects much less light in this room than in outside. • But people don’t think that my skin color changes every time I enter a building. ch 7 44 Ratio principle • Perceive lightness of an object with respect to the surrounding area. • E.g., ch 7 – When I enter a building, everything loses illumination, so perceived lightness of my face remains the same.45 How does the visual system distinguish reflected light from illuminated light? ch 7 46 ch 7 47 • The LGN is the first stop in the visual pathway. • The LGN receives more input back from the cortex than from the retina. LGN (Lateral Geniculate Nucleus) V1 (Striate Cortex) Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) ch 7 Image courtesy of Dr. Paul Wellman 48