Color naming transitions

We explore the notion that variations in cone spectral sensitivities could cause variations in color-name boundaries between individuals. Fifteen observers made color matches to a test stimulus (580 nm) with three primary lights in a visual colorimeter. The same observers took part in two psychophysical experiments to determine the color-naming boundary between two focal colors (yellow and green). In one experiment observers used a slider bar to indicate the boundary; in the other they were presented with a color stimulus and asked to state whether it was yellow or green in a 2afc design. In the case of the 2afc experiment the results indicate some evidence to suggest a correlation in the position of the name boundary and the ratio of red and green lights used in visual color matches.