Primacy of dimensions in color perception

J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 1993 Oct;19(5):1082-104. doi: 10.1037/0096-1523.19.5.1082.

Abstract

In this study, we used a procedure called selective/divided rotation to investigate the role of dimensions in the perception of color. Ss performed either selective-attention or divided-attention tasks to paired dimensions created from each of 3 orientations of axes in color space: 0 degree, 22.5 degrees, and 45 degrees. We evaluated a Euclidean hypothesis, namely, that speeded classification of interacting dimensions is invariant to rigid rotation of stimulus axes. All experiments obtained evidence against this Euclidean hypothesis. Experiments 1 to 4 showed that selective attention was best at the orientation corresponding to saturation and brightness, suggesting primacy of these dimensions. The results were replicated with the pairs hue-saturation (Experiment 7) and hue-brightness (Experiment 8). We conclude that interacting dimensions can be primary and that dimensional primacy characterizes much of perceptual experience.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attention*
  • Color Perception*
  • Contrast Sensitivity
  • Distance Perception
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Orientation*
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual*
  • Psychophysics
  • Reaction Time