Abstract
Apparent hue shifts consistent with lateral inhibition in color mechanisms were measured, in five purely chromatic gradients, for 7 observers. Apparent lightness shifts were measured in achromatic versions of the same gradients, and a correlation was found to exist between the magnitude of the chromatic shifts and the magnitude of the achromatic shifts. The data can be modeled by a function that approximates the activity of color-sensitive neurons found in the monkey cortex. Individual differences and the failure of some previous researchers to find the effect can be accounted for by differences in the function parameters for different observers.
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This research was carried out at the National Research Council of Canada while the first author was employed as a Research Associate at that institution.
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Ware, C., Cowan, W.B. Chromatic Mach bands: Behavioral evidence for lateral inhibition in human color vision. Perception & Psychophysics 41, 173–178 (1987). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03204878
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03204878