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No role for colour in symmetry perception

Nature volume 399, pages 115–116 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Bilateral colour symmetry, such as that evident in a Siberian tiger's face (Fig. 1a), is relevant to many animals1,2, including humans3,4. We examined the role of colour in symmetry perception by asking observers to detect colour symmetry in regular grids of coloured squares (a colour-symmetrical image has regions of the same colour located equidistantly from a vertical axis). Our results suggest, unexpectedly, that the mechanisms of symmetry perception are inherently colour-blind: although observers can verify colour symmetry, they do so only by shifting attention from one colour to the next and assessing the symmetry of regions of that colour.

a, Siberian tiger (photographed by M. Fontaine); b, symmetrical two-colour display; c, ‘Vincentized’8 data distributions to two-colour and four-colour symmetrical and asymmetrical displays; d, asymmetrical ‘ABBA’ two-mismatch display; e, asymmetrical ‘ABCD’ two-mismatch display.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, 0109, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, San Diego, 92093, California, USA

    Dawn Morales & Harold Pashler

Authors
  1. Dawn Morales
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  2. Harold Pashler
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Morales, D., Pashler, H. No role for colour in symmetry perception. Nature 399, 115–116 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/20103

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