Abstract

Individual differences in classification of transient, isoluminant, chromatic signals were studied in 39 male subjects (age 29 ± 2.9 yr). Chromatic contrast was constrained to either R-G or B-Y axes of opponent color theory. Subjects binocularly and centrally fixated a light grey (D6500, 10.3 ft-L), 14° by 9.7° background. Stimuli uniformly replaced the central 7° by 6.5° of the background for 10.8 ms and had either low or high contrast with respect to it. Achromatic stimuli were also presented. Recorded data included two-alternative forced choice responses (based on stimulus hue) and event-related brain potentials (ERP). Five fifty-trial blocks were presented in the order: black/white (high con trast), R/Y (low contrast), B/Y (low), R/G (high), B/Y (high). Across subjects, corresponding mean percentages of correctly classified stimuli were (mean/sd): 92 ± 7, 72 ± 23, 26 ± 3, 91 ± 11, 71 ± 29. Across blocks, correlations of mean percent correct vs variables CIELUV ΔE, MacAdam's AS, N1-amplitude and P3-amplitude were 0.09, 0.45, 0.86, and 0.97.

© 1989 Optical Society of America