Abstract
A biographical sketch (with picture) of Helmholtz is given along with a description of his invention of the ophthalmoscope and the development of his trichromatic theory of color vision. Modern findings concerning the visual receptors for color vision are then reviewed. These include: electron micrographic studies of the retina, wavelength absorption spectra of single cone receptors, response potentials recorded from such receptors, bleaching spectra of cone pigments, electroretinograms showing components triggered by cones and matched by human psychophysical data, and finally the derivation of human color response functions from retinal potential waves produced by alternating stimulation with lights of different wavelengths.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Baker, H. D., &Rushton, W. A. H. The red-sensitive pigment in normal cones.J. Physiol., 1965, 176, 56–72.
Boring, E. G.A history of experimental psychology. (2nd ed.) New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1950.
Brown, P. K., &Wald, G.. Visual pigments in single rods and cones of the human retina.Science, 1964, 144, 45–51.
Cogan, D. G.Neurology of the visual system. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas, 1966.
De Valois, R. L. Color vision mechanisms in the monkey.J. gen. Physiol., 1960, 43, 115–128.
Dowling, J. E. Foveal receptors of the monkey retina: fine structure.Science, 1965, 147, 57–59.
Dowling, J. E., &Boycott, B. B. Organization of the primate retina: electron microscopy.Proc. Roy. Soc. (London), 1966, 166, 80–111.
Hall, G. S.Founders of modern psychology. 1912.
Hecht, S. Vision: II. The nature of the photoreceptor process. In C. Murchison (Ed.),Handbook of general experimental psychology. Worcester, Mass.: Clark University Press, 1934.
Helmholtz, H. L. von.Über die Erhaltung der Kraft, 1847.
Helmholtz, H. L. von. On the methods of measuring very small intervals of time, and their application to physiological purposes.Phil. Mag., 1850, 6.
Helmholtz, H. L. von.Description of an ophthalmoscope for the investigation of the retina in the living eye. Berlin: Förster, 1851.
Helmholtz, H. L. von.Über das Sehen des Menschen, 1855.
Helmholtz, H. L. von.Handbuch der physiologischen Optik, 1956–1866. Eng. trans. 1924, reprinted New York: Dover, 1962.
Helmholtz, H. L. von.Die Lehre von den Tonempfindungen, 1863.
Hsia, Y., &Graham, C. H. Spectral sensitivity of the cones in the dark-adapted human eye.Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 1952, 38, 80–85.
Hsia, Y., &Graham, C. H. Spectral luminosity curves for protanopic, deuteranopic and normal subjects.Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 1957, 43, 1011–1019.
Hurvich, L. M., &Jameson, D. Introduction and translation of Hering, E.:Outlines Of a theory of the light sense (orig. 1905–1911) Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard, 1964.
Johnson, E. P., Riggs, L. A., & Schick, A. M. L. Photopic retinal potentials evoked by phase alternation of a barred pattern.Vision Res., 1966, Suppl. 1,Clinical Electroretinography, 75–91.
Judd, D. B. Basic correlates of the visual stimulus. In S. S. Stevens (Ed.),Handbook of experimental psychology. New York: Wiley, 1951.
Koenigsberger, L.Hermann von Helmholtz, trans. by Frances A. Welby, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906. Reprinted by Dover Publications, Inc.: New York, 1965.
Marks, W. B., Dobelle, W. H., &MacNichol, E. F., Jr. Visual pigments of single primate cones.Science, 1964, 143, 1181–1183.
McKendrick, J. G.Hermann Ludwig von Helmholtz, 1899.
Müller, J.Handbuch der Physiologie, 1838.
Ogle, K. N.Optics. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas, 1961.
Polyak, S.The vertebrate visual system. Chicago, 1957.
Riggs, L. A. Electrophysiology of vision. In C. H. Graham (Ed.),Vision and visual perception. Chap. 5. New York: Wiley, 1965.
Riggs, L. A., Johnson, E. P., &Schick, A. M. L. Electrical responses of the human eye to moving stimulus patterns.Science, 1964, 144, 567.
Riggs, L. A., Johnson, E. P., &Schick, A. M. L. Electrical responses of the human eye to changes in wavelength of the stimulating light.J. Opt. Soc. Amer., 1966, 56, 1621–1627.
Ripps, H., &Weale, R. A. Cone pigments in the normal human fovea.Vision Res., 1963, 3, 531–543.
Rushton, W.A. H.Visual pigments in man. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas, 1962.
Stiles, W. S. Colour vision: the approach through increment threshold sensitivity.Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 1959, 45, 100–114.
Svaetichin, G.Acta Physiol. Scand., 1956, 39, Suppl. 134.
Svaetichin, G., &MacNichol, E. F., Jr. Retinal mechanisms for chromatic and achromatic vision.Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 1958, 74, 385–404.
Tomita, T., Murakami, M., Kaneko, A., & Pautler, E. L. (Personal communication.)
Wald, G. Human vision and the spectrum.Science, 1945, 101, 653–658.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Commemorative lecture given at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in September, 1966. Some of the studies reported in this lecture were done in the W. S. Hunter Laboratory of Psychology at Brown University with the support of grant number NB-1453 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Riggs, L.A. The “looks” of Helmholtz. Perception & Psychophysics 2, 1–13 (1967). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210059
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210059