Higher order color mechanisms

Evidence supporting the existence of higher order color mechanisms, that is, ones beyond the previously identified second stage mechanisms is presented. This evidence includes a reanalysis of the data of Krauskopf et al. [Vision Res. 20, 1123-1131 (1982)] on the desensitizing effects of viewing chromatically modulated fields, new experiments on a generalized version of the "transient tritanopia" experiment of Mollon and Polden [Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 278, 207-240 (1977)] and results on the relationship between discrimination and detection of brief color changes.