Question

How does the opponent process theory explain the negative afterimage effect?

Answer 1

The opponent process theory by Ewald Hering says that our visual system ha opposite reactions to three pairs of colors, they are red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white. This means that the receptors that are activated by wavelengths which are associated with blue light are turned are off by wavelengths associated with yellow lights. This theory is also helpful in explaining the phenomenon of afterimages.

Afterimages occur when rods and cones adapt to overstimulation and lose sensitivity to certain receptors when they are exposed to a color for a long period. For Example, If a person stares at a blue color screen for a long time, the receptors responsible for the blue color tire out and when he looks at the blank wall he will see yellow afterimage, this is because anything which is perceived less blue will be paired as its opposite color, which is yellow in this case.