Opponent Process Theory How We Perceive Color in Opposites

Subject : Biology

Question:

The proposition that color vision is based on coding things as red or green, yellow or blue, or black or white is known as:

A. color weakness

B. the opponent-process theory of color vision

C. the lock-and-key theory

D. the trichromatic theory of color vision

Expert Verified Solution:

The correct answer is B. the opponent-process theory of color vision.

The opponent-process theory, proposed by Ewald Hering, suggests that color vision is coded in opposing pairs: red-green, yellow-blue, and black-white. This theory explains that certain colors cannot be perceived together, like red and green, because they are opposing processes in the visual system. This is why we do not see a reddish-green color, but instead see one or the other. This theory also helps to explain the phenomenon of afterimages, where looking at one color for an extended period and then looking at a white surface results in seeing the opposite color.

The other options are incorrect because:

A. Color weakness refers to a deficiency in the ability to perceive certain colors, often due to a lack of specific cones in the eye.
C. The lock-and-key theory is unrelated to color vision and instead describes a mechanism used in other biological processes.
D. The trichromatic theory of color vision suggests that there are three types of color receptors (cones) in the eye sensitive to red, green, and blue, but it does not account for the opposing color pairs.