The Opponent Process Theory of Color Vision

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOpponent Process Theory vs. Trichromatic TheoryHow It WorksExamplesModern ViewsFrequently Asked Questions

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Table of Contents

Opponent Process Theory vs. Trichromatic Theory

How It Works

Examples

Modern Views

Frequently Asked Questions

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Current research suggests that the true pairings for these receptor complexes are actually blue-yellow, red-cyan, and green-magenta.

According to the opponent process theory, the mind can only register the presence of one color of a pair at a time because the two colors oppose one another. The same kind of cell that activates when you see red will deactivate ingreenlight, and the cells that activate in green light will deactivate when you see red. This explains why you can’t see yellowish-blue or reddish-green.

At a GlanceThe opponent process theory of color vision, trichromatic and complementary color theories contributed to the current understanding of sight. Opponent process theory suggests that vision functions through a series of excitatory and inhibitory responses. It is important to remember that it explains one aspect of color vision but that other theories are necessary to understand how we see and experience color.This article discusses this theory, how it works, and its role in our current understanding of vision.

At a Glance

The opponent process theory of color vision, trichromatic and complementary color theories contributed to the current understanding of sight. Opponent process theory suggests that vision functions through a series of excitatory and inhibitory responses. It is important to remember that it explains one aspect of color vision but that other theories are necessary to understand how we see and experience color.This article discusses this theory, how it works, and its role in our current understanding of vision.

The opponent process theory of color vision, trichromatic and complementary color theories contributed to the current understanding of sight. Opponent process theory suggests that vision functions through a series of excitatory and inhibitory responses. It is important to remember that it explains one aspect of color vision but that other theories are necessary to understand how we see and experience color.

This article discusses this theory, how it works, and its role in our current understanding of vision.

The trichromatic theory of color vision suggests that people have cells that detectblue,red, and green wavelengths. These are then combined into other colors to create a visible spectrum.

What Opponent Process Theory Means

The opponent color process works through a process of excitatory and inhibitory responses, with the two components of each mechanism opposing each other.

For example, red creates a positive (or excitatory) response in a cell, while green creates a negative (or inhibitory) response. When this cell is activated, it tells the brain that you are seeing red. Meanwhile, there is an opponent cell that gets a positive response to green wavelengths of light and an inhibitory response to red.

These two types of cells in a red-green receptor complex can’t be activated at the same time.

Example of Opponent Process Theory

The opponent process theory helps explain the perceptual phenomena of negative afterimages. Have you ever noticed how you may see a brief afterimage in complementary colors after staring at an image for an extended period of time after staring away?

So, how does opponent process theory explain afterimages? According to opponent process theory, staring at the red image for 30 to 60 seconds caused the white and red opponent cells to become “fatigued” (meaning they started sending weaker signals to save energy).

When you shift your focus to a blank surface, those cells no longer have the stimuli telling them to fire. When the white and red receptor cells briefly de-activate, the opposing black and green cells fire in response. As a result, you will see a brief afterimage that is black and green instead of white and red.

Modern Explanations: Complementary Color Theory

Current research has updated this explanation slightly. It seems the green receptor cells do not activate because the red cells become inhibited.

In fact, the afterimage seems to be generated in the brain’s cortex, not the retina.

According to the complementary color theory, each receptor pairing registers complementary colors—there is no white/black pairing. When complementary colors are added together, they make white.

When you were staring at the red image, your brain got used to the red and suppressed the signals it was getting from red cells. When you the shifted your gaze to the white paper, your brain saw less red light than before and mentally “subtracted” red from what it is seeing.

The green cells, however, hadn’t been suppressed and could send full-strength signals. White “minus” red is green, hence why you saw a flash of green.

Which Color Vision Theory Is Correct?

Although complementary colors theory is the most up-to-date, the trichromatic theory and opponent process theory help account for the complexity of color vision.

Opponent process theory helps explain aspects of color vision. The activation of one type of cone cell leads to the inhibition of the other two. This opponent process is thought to be responsible for our perception of color and explains why people experience afterimages.

Opponent process theory suggests that looking at one color for a long period causes those receptor cells to become fatigued. When they begin sending weaker signals, their opposing cells fire, sending signals that cause the perception of the opposing color.

The McCollough effect is a visual phenomenon in which looking at images with red horizontal lines and green vertical lines before shifting to an image of black and white lines.As a result of the initial induction with red and green lines, the black and white lines lookpink. The opponent process has been implicated as a partial explanation, but the exact mechanisms behind the effect are not fully understood.

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5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pridmore RW.Single cell spectrally opposed responses: Opponent colors or complementary colors?.J Optics. 2012;42(1):8-18. doi:10.1007/s12596-012-0090-0Bernstein DA.Essentials of Psychology. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning; 2011.Zeki S, Cheadle S, Pepper J, Mylonas D.The constancy of colored after-images.Front Hum Neurosci.2017;11:229. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00229Pridmore RW.Complementary colors theory of color vision: physiology, color mixture, color constancy and color perception.Color Res Appl.2011;36(6):394-412. doi:10.1002/col.20611Humphrey GK, Goodale MA, Corbetta M, Aglioti S.The McCollough effect reveals orientation discrimination in a case of cortical blindness.Curr Biol. 1995;5(5):545-51. doi:10.1016/s0960-9822(95)00107-2

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pridmore RW.Single cell spectrally opposed responses: Opponent colors or complementary colors?.J Optics. 2012;42(1):8-18. doi:10.1007/s12596-012-0090-0Bernstein DA.Essentials of Psychology. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning; 2011.Zeki S, Cheadle S, Pepper J, Mylonas D.The constancy of colored after-images.Front Hum Neurosci.2017;11:229. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00229Pridmore RW.Complementary colors theory of color vision: physiology, color mixture, color constancy and color perception.Color Res Appl.2011;36(6):394-412. doi:10.1002/col.20611Humphrey GK, Goodale MA, Corbetta M, Aglioti S.The McCollough effect reveals orientation discrimination in a case of cortical blindness.Curr Biol. 1995;5(5):545-51. doi:10.1016/s0960-9822(95)00107-2

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Pridmore RW.Single cell spectrally opposed responses: Opponent colors or complementary colors?.J Optics. 2012;42(1):8-18. doi:10.1007/s12596-012-0090-0Bernstein DA.Essentials of Psychology. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning; 2011.Zeki S, Cheadle S, Pepper J, Mylonas D.The constancy of colored after-images.Front Hum Neurosci.2017;11:229. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00229Pridmore RW.Complementary colors theory of color vision: physiology, color mixture, color constancy and color perception.Color Res Appl.2011;36(6):394-412. doi:10.1002/col.20611Humphrey GK, Goodale MA, Corbetta M, Aglioti S.The McCollough effect reveals orientation discrimination in a case of cortical blindness.Curr Biol. 1995;5(5):545-51. doi:10.1016/s0960-9822(95)00107-2

Pridmore RW.Single cell spectrally opposed responses: Opponent colors or complementary colors?.J Optics. 2012;42(1):8-18. doi:10.1007/s12596-012-0090-0

Bernstein DA.Essentials of Psychology. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning; 2011.

Zeki S, Cheadle S, Pepper J, Mylonas D.The constancy of colored after-images.Front Hum Neurosci.2017;11:229. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00229

Pridmore RW.Complementary colors theory of color vision: physiology, color mixture, color constancy and color perception.Color Res Appl.2011;36(6):394-412. doi:10.1002/col.20611

Humphrey GK, Goodale MA, Corbetta M, Aglioti S.The McCollough effect reveals orientation discrimination in a case of cortical blindness.Curr Biol. 1995;5(5):545-51. doi:10.1016/s0960-9822(95)00107-2

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