Which of the following theories provides the best explanation for our perception of color?

• A. The gate control theory, which describes how pain signals are modulated in the spinal cord
• B. The trichromatic theory, which proposes that color perception is based on the activity of three types of cones sensitive to different wavelengths
• C. The place theory, which explains how different frequencies of sound are perceived in the cochlea
• D. The opponent-process theory, which suggests that color perception is based on opposing neural processes for pairs of colors

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the question is asking which theory best explains our perception of color, so focus on theories related to visual processing and color perception.
2. Step 2: Review the gate control theory, which is related to pain modulation in the spinal cord, and recognize it is not related to color perception.
3. Step 3: Examine the place theory, which explains how different sound frequencies are perceived in the cochlea, and note that it pertains to auditory processing, not color vision.
4. Step 4: Consider the opponent-process theory, which explains color perception through opposing pairs of colors (such as red-green, blue-yellow), and understand it complements but does not solely explain the initial detection of color.
5. Step 5: Focus on the trichromatic theory, which proposes that color perception is based on the activity of three types of cones in the retina, each sensitive to different wavelengths (short, medium, and long), making it the foundational explanation for how we perceive color.