What are the two theories of color vision discussed?

The two theories of color vision that are widely discussed are the Trichromatic theory and the Opponent-Process theory. The Trichromatic theory, also known as the Young-Helmholtz theory, posits that the human eye perceives color through the activity of three different types of cone photoreceptors, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light corresponding to blue, green, and red. The combined activation of these cones allows us to perceive a broad spectrum of colors.

On the other hand, the Opponent-Process theory was developed to explain phenomena that the Trichromatic theory could not, particularly the afterimages and the way certain colors appear to be opposites. This theory suggests that color perception is controlled by opposing pairs of colors: red vs. green, blue vs. yellow, and black vs. white. This means that the activation of one color in the pair inhibits the perception of the other.

Together, these theories provide a comprehensive understanding of how we perceive color, with the Trichromatic theory focusing on the initial stages of color detection through cone activation, while the Opponent-Process theory addresses the later stages of processing in the visual system. This dual framework offers insight into our complex color perception abilities.