Visual psychophysics: Luminance and color

Abstract

Human visual psychophysics is a mature field of research that employs specialized methods and has generated a large body of established findings, a few of which are summarized in this overview. The methods reviewed include those known as classical psychophysical methods, signal detection theory, and the efficient modern Bayesian adaptive methods. The covered results emphasize well-established findings in both rod and cone vision, including some effects of light adaptation, luminous efficiency and spectral sensitivity, color detection, and spatial and temporal contrast sensitivities.

Keywords: Color; Cones; Detection; Luminous efficiency; Psychophysics; Rods; Spatial & temporal sensitivity.