Bi-level perception and color modes. Contrast ratio and complementarity of colors

For the “Self”, color is a color text, a structure consisting of two elements: internal context (content: tone, saturation, brightness) and external context (conditions under which color actualizes in a situation: lightness, proximity, etc.). Perception of the color is when the content overlays the conditions. The modes of color are revealed depending on the ratio of indicated contexts. There are three color modes: visible, invisible, and colorless. The goal of this article is to describe the color modes, and their correlation with contrast and complementarity of colors, what entails bi-level perception of color. The article employs situational and phenomenological approaches. Visible color for the “Self” occurs when the internal context completely overlays the external context. Invisible color occurs in the presence of internal context and absence of one or more external factors: no tone, no contrast with background, etc. “Colorless” mode occurs when the internal context is not fully set in the situation of presence of the external context: no tone, saturation, or brightness. Color in the “colorless” mode is achromatic. The compatibility of separate colors within the color text leads to the phenomena of complementarity and contrast ratio, which are interrelated with the color modes. There are two levels of color perception: 1) fundamental, i.e. is the perception of achromatic color with gradations from sharply white to pure black; gray color with varying degrees of brightness is present in chromatic colors (as the “base”); 2) perception of the chromatic colors, founded on the colorless “base”. Such bi-level perception of color is substantiated by the fact that the consciousness seeks harmony and balance, i.e. minimization of perception of the visual.

The Quantum Nature of Color Perception: Uncertainty Relations for Chromatic Opposition

In this paper, we provide an overview on the foundation and first results of a very recent quantum theory of color perception, together with novel results about uncertainty relations for chromatic opposition. The major inspiration for this model is the 1974 remarkable work by H.L. Resnikoff, who had the idea to give up the analysis of the space of perceived colors through metameric classes of spectra in favor of the study of its algebraic properties. This strategy permitted to reveal the importance of hyperbolic geometry in colorimetry. Starting from these premises, we show how Resnikoff’s construction can be extended to a geometrically rich quantum framework, where the concepts of achromatic color, hue and saturation can be rigorously defined. Moreover, the analysis of pure and mixed quantum chromatic states leads to a deep understanding of chromatic opposition and its role in the encoding of visual signals. We complete our paper by proving the existence of uncertainty relations for the degree of chromatic opposition, thus providing a theoretical confirmation of the quantum nature of color perception.

Contrasting a Misinterpretation of the Reverse Contrast

The reverse contrast is a perceptual phenomenon in which the effect of the classical simultaneous lightness contrast is reversed. In classic simultaneous lightness contrast configurations, a gray surrounded by black is perceived lighter than an identical gray surrounded by white, but in the reverse contrast configurations, the perceptual outcome is the opposite: a gray surrounded by black appears darker than the same gray surrounded by white. The explanation provided for the reverse contrast (by different authors) is the belongingness of the gray targets to a more complex configuration. Different configurations show the occurrence of these phenomena; however, the factors determining this effect are not always the same. In particular, some configurations are based on both belongingness and assimilation, while one configuration is based only on belongingness. The evidence that different factors determine the reverse contrast is crucial for future research dealing with achromatic color perception and, in particular, with lightness induction phenomena.

Zulliger R-Optimized in the Evaluation of Depressive Characteristics

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in the world with more than 300 million diagnoses. Studies on the contributions that instruments offer in understanding the functioning of depressive patients are necessary. Therefore, our study aimed to compare the frequency of codes related to depression in Zulliger R-optimized application in a group of depressive individuals with non-clinical group. The study included 86 participants, 43 depressive patients and 43 non-clinical patients. The Escala Baptista de Depressão (EBADEP-A) was used to identify depressive symptoms in the clinical group and Zulliger was administered with R-optimized application. To compare the groups, the t-test and magnitude of differences (d) were used. The results showed differences between groups in the variables Mixed Determinants, Sum of achromatic color responses, pure color responses (C), Mor and AG. We understood that Zulliger R-optimized application may be useful in understanding the functioning of the depressive subject.

Differences in Brain Hemodynamics in Response to Achromatic and Chromatic Cards of the Rorschach

In order to investigate the effects of color stimuli of the Rorschach inkblot method (RIM), the cerebral activity of 40 participants with no history of neurological or psychiatric illness was scanned while they engaged in the Rorschach task. A scanned image of the ten RIM inkblots was projected onto a screen in the MRI scanner. Cerebral activation in response to five achromatic color cards and five chromatic cards were compared. As a result, a significant increase in brain activity was observed in bilateral visual areas V2 and V3, parietooccipital junctions, pulvinars, right superior temporal gyrus, and left premotor cortex for achromatic color cards (p < .001). For the cards with chromatic color, significant increase in brain activity was observed in left visual area V4 and left orbitofrontal cortex (p < .001). Furthermore, a conjoint analysis revealed various regions were activated in responding to the RIM. The neuropsychological underpinnings of the response process, as described by Acklin and Wu-Holt (1996) , were largely confirmed.

Differences in the Perceptual Processes Behind Shading and Achromatic Color Responses on the Rorschach

Differences in perceptional processes between shading responses and achromatic-color responses were examined by comparing eye movements. The following hypotheses were tested. Hypothesis 1: Shading responses, compared to non-shading responses, would show an increased fixation time directed at the inside of the area of shading stimuli and a decreased fixation time directed at the outline. Hypothesis 2: The differences in fixation times proposed in Hypothesis 1 would not be observed between achromatic-color responses and non-achromatic-color responses. Eye movement data of 60 responses produced for the W in Card IV and D1 in Card VI were analyzed. The results indicated that shading responses had significantly longer fixation times directed at the inner area and significantly shorter fixation times directed at the outline, compared to non-shading responses. On the other hand, achromatic-color responses did not show a significant main effect or interaction. The above results supported Hypotheses 1 and 2.