Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the opponent-process theory of color vision?

• A. A person can see all colors of the rainbow because three types of cones respond to different wavelengths of light.
• B. A person with color blindness cannot perceive the color red due to a deficiency in red photoreceptors.
• C. After staring at a bright red image for several seconds, a person looks at a white wall and sees a green afterimage.
• D. A person is able to distinguish between different shades of blue because of the activation of blue-sensitive cones in the retina.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the opponent-process theory of color vision, which proposes that color perception is controlled by the activity of two opponent systems: a red-green system and a blue-yellow system. This means certain colors are paired in opposition, so the activation of one color inhibits the perception of its opponent color.
2. Step 2: Identify key features of the theory, such as the explanation of afterimages, where staring at one color for a prolonged time causes the opposite color to appear when looking away.
3. Step 3: Analyze each scenario to see if it involves the concept of opposing color pairs or afterimages, which are central to the opponent-process theory.
4. Step 4: Recognize that the scenario describing a person staring at a bright red image and then seeing a green afterimage on a white wall directly illustrates the opponent-process theory, as red and green are opponent colors.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the other scenarios describe different aspects of color vision (such as cone types and color blindness) but do not specifically illustrate the opponent-process theory.