Saccades to large coloured targets stepping in open fields

Subjects tracked a 2.3 deg target that stepped 5 deg, in a randomly chosen direction, each time it was foveated. Targets were coloured patches that were fairly close to white; in some cases precise matches ensured equiluminosity with the background. Viewing conditions provided good colour rendering and neutral colour adaptation. Pale colours were surprisingly well tracked. Multiple regressions showed that the colour and spatial characteristics of the target are important determinants of a primary saccade's latency. Significant factors included target size, achromatic contrast, tritanopic purity difference, and chromatic saturation. Colour-normal subjects always responded more slowly to yellow or blue targets which a deuteranomalous subject tracked quite well. Severely blurring the target had a consistent minor effect.