Abstract

Differences exist between observers in the appearance of both colors that are presented in isolation and those that are presented in juxtaposition with other colors. Observers differ in their choice of the four unique hues, their choice of invariant hues, and in the reported appearance of entoptic phenomena like the Maxwell spot. These differences are examined by incorporating variation in cone spectral sensitivities and cone ratios into methods previously used to analyze the effect of variation in lens and macular pigment on color matches¹ and cone fundamentals.² Observers also differ in the effect that surrounding colors have on the appearance of focal colors. It has been shown that color contrast cannot be explained by lateral interactions within photoreceptor classes nor by lateral interactions within second-stage linear opponent mechanisms, but only at the level of color mechanisms beyond the interaction of the second-stage mechanisms.³ Individual differences may provide useful information about such higher-order color mechanisms.

© 1986 Optical Society of America