A note on the role of colour in conspicuity
Twenty two subjects were required to see and identify the location of coloured discs superimposed on projected colour scenes of the urban road traffic environment. The discs were 33 minute of arc in diameter and located at one of four locations 6 degrees or 14 degrees to the right and left of the centre of the scene with the aid of a fixation point on a uniform field projected between presentation of the scenes. The purpose of the study was to establish the relative contribution of the four colours (red, blue, yellow and green) to conspicuity. It was found that the coloured discs were no more conspicuous than neutral discs of the same luminances with the exception of green discs at 6 degrees eccentricity. This is a different result from that of forbes et al. (1978) And odescalchi (1960) who found red and yellow colours (but not other colours) contributed sufficiently to compensate for the loss of conspicuity due to the lower luminance of coloured objects compared to white ones. Further work is needed but it seems that at best colour does not provide any net gains to conspicuity and its role is that of identifying the object and conveying information as a colour code.
- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
ARRB
Melbourne, Victoria Australia -
Authors:
- Jenkins, S E
- Cole, B L
- Publication Date: 1979-7
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: 6P
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Serial:
- Issue Number: AIR 218-4
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Color; Traffic signs; Visibility; Vision
- ATRI Terms: Colour; Conspicuity; Traffic sign; Visibility; Vision
- Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01439750
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: ARRB
- Files: ATRI
- Created Date: Aug 24 2012 10:31PM