Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Visualizing Visual Adaptation
Published on: April 24, 2017
Color vision
Kassandra R Lee1, Michael A Webster2
1Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States.
Abstract:
Color vision has been studied for centuries, but many fundamental questions remain about the nature of color perception and its neural underpinnings. Typical human color vision is trichromatic - based on three types of cone receptors - yet manifests in a wide variety of individual variations. Similarly, the processing of the cone signals depends on opponent mechanisms that compare the signals from different cone classes. However, the types of comparisons and how they ultimately relate to color appearance or different perceptual tasks are still shrouded in mystery. This review focuses on the processing of color in the retina within the context of the broader goals of color perception and highlights recent insights and questions.
Related Concept Videos
Color Vision
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
Vision
Anatomy of the Eyeball
Perceptual Constancy
Size constancy is the recognition that an object remains the same size, even when its image on the retina changes. For instance, a bus is perceived to be large enough to carry people, even if it looks tiny from...
Focusing of Light in the Eye

