Psychological Monographs Volume 10, Nos. 40-43; General and Applied (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1909 Excerpt: ...vision when the brightness is increased or decreased occur much more strikingly in peripheral vision with much less of a change in brightness. That is, the darkening of the colors at the more refrangible end of the spectrum causes them to shift toward red in central vision, but a variation in the brightness conditions which causes no appreciable change in central vision is sufficient to make orange and even yellow appear pure red in peripheral vision. This was shown by the tests in which the orange, which appeared red under certain brightness conditions in peripheral vision, was observed under the same conditions in central vision. In a few cases in central vision the color was reported as slightly redder than the orange of the Hering series, but was more often identified with it. In the same way a yellow which was decidedly red or orange at the periphery showed but the slightest golden tinge in central vision. 1 H. Thompson and K. Gordon, 'A Study of After-images on the Peripheral Retina, ' Psychol. Rev., Vol. XIV., 1907, p. 134. A question which naturally arises here is that concerning the complementary relations of peripheral stimuli. The issue is complicated by the fact that a decrease in saturation such that the color is still seen as color in central vision, causes the same stimulus to appear colorless in peripheral vision. The problem is one which requires further investigation in both central and peripheral vision. 2. Effect of Brightness on the Color-tone of the Stimulus and of the After-image. If we admit that the red-sensing process exists at the periphery, but that its activity is more dependent on brightness conditions than in the more central zone, it will be necessary to explain how brightness can have such an effect on color. None of the theo...