The existence of complementary color afterimages supports
A) the opponent-process theory.
B) the component theory.
C) the trichromatic theory.
D) a hierarchical model.
E) spatial-frequency theory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Complementary afterimages are a phenomenon where we see the opposite colors of the ones we were previously looking at. For example, if we look at a green object and then look at a white surface, we will see a magenta afterimage. According to the opponent-process theory, there are three pairs of opposing colors: red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white. When we look at a color for a long enough time, the cells responsible for that color become fatigued and their opposing partners take over, producing an afterimage of the opposite color. Therefore, the existence of complementary afterimages is consistent with the predictions of the opponent-process theory.

The Existence of Complementary Color Afterimages Supports