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Colour category effects

Evidence from asymmetries in task performance

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This chapter provides an overview of recent experiments (Hanley and Roberson 2011; Wright 2012) investigating asymmetries in performance of two kinds of task, two-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) and visual search. Previous research has reported colour category effects in performance of both tasks and suggests such category effects can be interpreted as evidence of a Whorfian effect. Two key questions addressed here are: first, whether asymmetries in performance of 2-AFC and visual search tasks might also represent a Whorfian effect, and second, whether asymmetries in the two tasks can be accommodated within a framework that implies Whorfian effects in the domain of colour depend critically on on-line stimulus categorization. In addition to interpretations that offer affirmative answers to these questions, alternative interpretations are considered.

References

  1. Bornstein, Marc H. , and Nancy O. Korda
    1984 “Discrimination and Matching within and between Hues Measured by Reaction Times: Some Implications for Categorical Perception and Levels of Information Processing.” Psychological Research46 (3): 207–222. doi: 10.1007/BF00308884
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00308884 [Google Scholar]
  2. Brown, Angela M. , Lindsey Delwin , and Kevin M. Guckes
    2011 “Color Names, Color Categories and Color–cued Visual Search: Sometimes, Color Perception is not Categorical.” Journal of Vision 11, 12 (2): 1–21.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Cavonius, Richard , and John Mollen
    1984 “Reaction Time as a Measure of the Discriminability of Large Color Differences.” InColor Coded vs. Monochrome Electronic Displays, ed. by C.P. Gibson . London, HMSO, 17.1–17.10.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Daoutis, Christine , Anna Franklin , Amy Riddett , Alexandra Clifford , and Ian Davies
    2006 “Categorical Effects in Children’s Colour Search: A Cross-linguistic Comparison.” British Journal of Developmental Psychology24: 373–400. doi: 10.1348/026151005X51266
     https://doi.org/10.1348/026151005X51266 [Google Scholar]
  5. Drivonikou, Gilda , Paul Kay , Terry Regier , Richard Ivry , Aubrey Gilbert , and Anna Franklin
    2007 “Further Evidence for Lateralization of Whorfian Effects to the Right Visual Field.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America104: 1097–1102. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0610132104
     https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0610132104 [Google Scholar]
  6. Franklin, Anna , Alison Clifford , Emma Williamson , and Ian Davies
    2005 Colour Term Knowledge does not Affect Categorical Perception of Colour in Toddlers. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology: 90, 114–141. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2004.10.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2004.10.001 [Google Scholar]
  7. Gilbert, Aubrey L. , Terry Regier , Paul Kay , and Richard B. Ivry
    2006 “Whorf Hypothesis is Supported in the Right Visual Field but not the Left.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences103: 489–494. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0509868103
     https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0509868103 [Google Scholar]
  8. Graham, Clarence , and John Brown
    1965 “Color contrast and Color Appearance: Brightness Constancy and Color Constancy.” InVision and Visual Perception, ed. by Clarence Graham , 452–478. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Hanley, Richard , and Debi Roberson
    2011 “Categorical Perception Effects Reflect Differences in Typicality on Within-category Trials.” Psychonomic Bulletin & Review18: 355–363. doi: 10.3758/s13423‑010‑0043‑z
     https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-010-0043-z [Google Scholar]
  10. Harnad, Stevan
    1987 “Psychophysical and Cognitive Aspects of Categorical Perception: A Critical Overview.” InCategorical Perception: The Groundwork of Cognition, ed. by Stevan Harnad , 287–301. New York: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Jameson, Dorthea , and Leon Hurvich
    1959 “Perceived Color and its Dependence on Focal, Surrounding, and Preceding Stimulus Variables.” Journal of the Optical Society of America49: 890–898. doi: 10.1364/JOSA.49.000890
     https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSA.49.000890 [Google Scholar]
  12. Kay, Paul , Brent Berlin , Luisa Maffi , William Merrifield , and Richard Cook
    2009 The World Color Survey. CSLI Lecture Notes159.
  13. Lindsey, Delwin T. , Angela M. Brown , Ester Reijnen , Anina N. Rich , Yoana I. Kuzmova , and Jeremy M. Wolfe
    2010 “Color Channels, not Color Appearance or Color Categories, Guide Visual Search for Desaturated Color Targets.” Psychological Science21 (9): 1208–1214. doi: 10.1177/0956797610379861
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610379861 [Google Scholar]
  14. Mitterer, Holger , Jochen Müsseler , Jörn N. Horschig , and Asifa Majid
    2009 “The Influence of Memory on Perception: It’s Not What Things Look Like, It’s What You Call Them.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition35 (6): 1557–1562. doi: 10.1037/a0017019
     https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017019 [Google Scholar]
  15. Munnich, Edward , and Barbara Landau
    2003 “The Effects of Spatial Language on Spatial Representation: Setting Some Boundaries.” InLanguage in Mind: Advances in the Study of Language and Thought, ed. by Dedre Gentner and Susan Goldwin-Meadow , 113–155. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Pilling, Michael , Alison Wiggett , Emre Özgen , and Ian Davies
    2003 “Is color ‘categorical perception’ really perceptual?” Memory and Cognition31: 538–551. doi: 10.3758/BF03196095
     https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196095 [Google Scholar]
  17. Roberson, Debi , and Jules Davidoff
    2000 “The Categorical Perception of Colors and Facial Expressions: The Effect of Verbal Interference.” Memory and Cognition28: 977–986. doi: 10.3758/BF03209345
     https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209345 [Google Scholar]
  18. Roberson, Debi , Julies Davidoff , Ian Davies , and Laura Shapiro
    2005 “Colour Categories in Himba: Evidence for the Cultural Relativity Hypothesis.” Cognitive Psychology50: 378–411. doi: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2004.10.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogpsych.2004.10.001 [Google Scholar]
  19. Roberson, Debi , Richard Hanley , and Hyensou Pak
    2009 “Threshold for Color Discrimination in English and Korean Speakers.” Cognition112: 482–487. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2009.06.008
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2009.06.008 [Google Scholar]
  20. Rosenholtz, Ruth , Allen Nagy , and Nicole Bell
    2004 “The Effect of Background Color on Asymmetries in Color Search.” Journal of Vision4: 224–240. doi: 10.1167/4.3.9
     https://doi.org/10.1167/4.3.9 [Google Scholar]
  21. Treisman, Anne , and Stephen Gormican
    1988 “Feature Analysis in Early Vision: Evidence from Search Asymmetries.” Psychological Review95: 15–48. doi: 10.1037/0033‑295X.95.1.15
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.95.1.15 [Google Scholar]
  22. Whorf, Benjamin L
    1956 “Language, Thought and Reality: Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf”,ed. by John B. Carroll . Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Witzel, Christoph , and Karl R. Gegenfurtner
    2011 “Is there a Lateralized Category Effect for Color?” Journal of Vision 11, 12 (16): 1–25.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Wolfe, Jeremy
    2001 “Asymmetries in Visual Search: An Introduction.” Perception and Psychophysics63 (3): 381–389. doi: 10.3758/BF03194406
     https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03194406 [Google Scholar]
  25. Wright, Oliver
    2012 “Categorical Influences on Chromatic Search Asymmetries.” Visual Cognition20 (8): 947–987. doi: 10.1080/13506285.2012.715600
     https://doi.org/10.1080/13506285.2012.715600 [Google Scholar]

References

  1. Bornstein, Marc H. , and Nancy O. Korda
    1984 “Discrimination and Matching within and between Hues Measured by Reaction Times: Some Implications for Categorical Perception and Levels of Information Processing.” Psychological Research46 (3): 207–222. doi: 10.1007/BF00308884
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00308884 [Google Scholar]
  2. Brown, Angela M. , Lindsey Delwin , and Kevin M. Guckes
    2011 “Color Names, Color Categories and Color–cued Visual Search: Sometimes, Color Perception is not Categorical.” Journal of Vision 11, 12 (2): 1–21.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Cavonius, Richard , and John Mollen
    1984 “Reaction Time as a Measure of the Discriminability of Large Color Differences.” InColor Coded vs. Monochrome Electronic Displays, ed. by C.P. Gibson . London, HMSO, 17.1–17.10.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Daoutis, Christine , Anna Franklin , Amy Riddett , Alexandra Clifford , and Ian Davies
    2006 “Categorical Effects in Children’s Colour Search: A Cross-linguistic Comparison.” British Journal of Developmental Psychology24: 373–400. doi: 10.1348/026151005X51266
     https://doi.org/10.1348/026151005X51266 [Google Scholar]
  5. Drivonikou, Gilda , Paul Kay , Terry Regier , Richard Ivry , Aubrey Gilbert , and Anna Franklin
    2007 “Further Evidence for Lateralization of Whorfian Effects to the Right Visual Field.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America104: 1097–1102. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0610132104
     https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0610132104 [Google Scholar]
  6. Franklin, Anna , Alison Clifford , Emma Williamson , and Ian Davies
    2005 Colour Term Knowledge does not Affect Categorical Perception of Colour in Toddlers. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology: 90, 114–141. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2004.10.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2004.10.001 [Google Scholar]
  7. Gilbert, Aubrey L. , Terry Regier , Paul Kay , and Richard B. Ivry
    2006 “Whorf Hypothesis is Supported in the Right Visual Field but not the Left.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences103: 489–494. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0509868103
     https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0509868103 [Google Scholar]
  8. Graham, Clarence , and John Brown
    1965 “Color contrast and Color Appearance: Brightness Constancy and Color Constancy.” InVision and Visual Perception, ed. by Clarence Graham , 452–478. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Hanley, Richard , and Debi Roberson
    2011 “Categorical Perception Effects Reflect Differences in Typicality on Within-category Trials.” Psychonomic Bulletin & Review18: 355–363. doi: 10.3758/s13423‑010‑0043‑z
     https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-010-0043-z [Google Scholar]
  10. Harnad, Stevan
    1987 “Psychophysical and Cognitive Aspects of Categorical Perception: A Critical Overview.” InCategorical Perception: The Groundwork of Cognition, ed. by Stevan Harnad , 287–301. New York: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Jameson, Dorthea , and Leon Hurvich
    1959 “Perceived Color and its Dependence on Focal, Surrounding, and Preceding Stimulus Variables.” Journal of the Optical Society of America49: 890–898. doi: 10.1364/JOSA.49.000890
     https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSA.49.000890 [Google Scholar]
  12. Kay, Paul , Brent Berlin , Luisa Maffi , William Merrifield , and Richard Cook
    2009 The World Color Survey. CSLI Lecture Notes159.
  13. Lindsey, Delwin T. , Angela M. Brown , Ester Reijnen , Anina N. Rich , Yoana I. Kuzmova , and Jeremy M. Wolfe
    2010 “Color Channels, not Color Appearance or Color Categories, Guide Visual Search for Desaturated Color Targets.” Psychological Science21 (9): 1208–1214. doi: 10.1177/0956797610379861
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610379861 [Google Scholar]
  14. Mitterer, Holger , Jochen Müsseler , Jörn N. Horschig , and Asifa Majid
    2009 “The Influence of Memory on Perception: It’s Not What Things Look Like, It’s What You Call Them.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition35 (6): 1557–1562. doi: 10.1037/a0017019
     https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017019 [Google Scholar]
  15. Munnich, Edward , and Barbara Landau
    2003 “The Effects of Spatial Language on Spatial Representation: Setting Some Boundaries.” InLanguage in Mind: Advances in the Study of Language and Thought, ed. by Dedre Gentner and Susan Goldwin-Meadow , 113–155. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Pilling, Michael , Alison Wiggett , Emre Özgen , and Ian Davies
    2003 “Is color ‘categorical perception’ really perceptual?” Memory and Cognition31: 538–551. doi: 10.3758/BF03196095
     https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196095 [Google Scholar]
  17. Roberson, Debi , and Jules Davidoff
    2000 “The Categorical Perception of Colors and Facial Expressions: The Effect of Verbal Interference.” Memory and Cognition28: 977–986. doi: 10.3758/BF03209345
     https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209345 [Google Scholar]
  18. Roberson, Debi , Julies Davidoff , Ian Davies , and Laura Shapiro
    2005 “Colour Categories in Himba: Evidence for the Cultural Relativity Hypothesis.” Cognitive Psychology50: 378–411. doi: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2004.10.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogpsych.2004.10.001 [Google Scholar]
  19. Roberson, Debi , Richard Hanley , and Hyensou Pak
    2009 “Threshold for Color Discrimination in English and Korean Speakers.” Cognition112: 482–487. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2009.06.008
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2009.06.008 [Google Scholar]
  20. Rosenholtz, Ruth , Allen Nagy , and Nicole Bell
    2004 “The Effect of Background Color on Asymmetries in Color Search.” Journal of Vision4: 224–240. doi: 10.1167/4.3.9
     https://doi.org/10.1167/4.3.9 [Google Scholar]
  21. Treisman, Anne , and Stephen Gormican
    1988 “Feature Analysis in Early Vision: Evidence from Search Asymmetries.” Psychological Review95: 15–48. doi: 10.1037/0033‑295X.95.1.15
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.95.1.15 [Google Scholar]
  22. Whorf, Benjamin L
    1956 “Language, Thought and Reality: Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf”,ed. by John B. Carroll . Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Witzel, Christoph , and Karl R. Gegenfurtner
    2011 “Is there a Lateralized Category Effect for Color?” Journal of Vision 11, 12 (16): 1–25.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Wolfe, Jeremy
    2001 “Asymmetries in Visual Search: An Introduction.” Perception and Psychophysics63 (3): 381–389. doi: 10.3758/BF03194406
     https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03194406 [Google Scholar]
  25. Wright, Oliver
    2012 “Categorical Influences on Chromatic Search Asymmetries.” Visual Cognition20 (8): 947–987. doi: 10.1080/13506285.2012.715600
     https://doi.org/10.1080/13506285.2012.715600 [Google Scholar]

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