AN APPLICATION OF THE METHOD OF MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SCALING TO PERCEPTION OF SIMILARITY OR DIFFERENCE IN COLORS

TAROW INDOW; TEIKO SHIOSE

doi:10.4992/psycholres1954.1956.45

TAROW INDOW, TEIKO SHIOSE

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1956 Volume 1956 Issue 3 Pages 45-64

DOI https://doi.org/10.4992/psycholres1954.1956.45

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Published: 1956 Received: - Available on J-STAGE: February 24, 2009 Accepted: - Advance online publication: - Revised: -
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Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : 1. The method of multi-dimensional scaling developed by Torgerson was applied to analysis of perceptual similarity or difference among colors,
2. In contrast to the study of Torgerson in which he analyzed the pooled data of 40 subject's judgements and developed a common color space, we tried to obtain separate result for each subject by the use of the multi-dimensional scaling for individual measurement.
3. Nine colored papers were chosen as stimuli which were of the same red but differed from each other in brightness and saturation. The particular hue used in this experiment was in the vicinity of 5R, the values approximately from 3 to 7 and the chromas approximately from 4 to 12 in the Munsell notation.
4. Three subjects took part in the experiment which was carried out individually. A triad of colors, i, j and k was presented in a row in which k was in the middle of i and j. The subject was asked to express the degree of difference in similarity between i and k and between j and k by displacing k either toward i or j from its original position. An analytical judgement was not required but the subject was instructed to rely upon general impression of similarity.
5. By the method of multi-dimensional scaling, it was possible to develop for each subject two-dimensional Euclidean color space where colors were arranged in such a way that distance between any two colors, whatever direction it took, was proportional to the degree of perceptual difference of these colors.
6. In this space two orthogonal axes were identified which corresponded to brightness and to saturation respectively.
7. The configuration of the colors in this space as calculated from the experimental data was in good agreement with the positions of the colors in the Munsell system which was superimposed upon this space.
8. For all subjects, however, variation in the Munsell value contributed more to the impression of similarity or difference than defined in the Munsell notation.
9. The agreement between the configuration of the colors and that part of the Munsell system was in general closer in the direction of brightness than in the direction of saturation due presumably to the fact that variation in brightness was phenomenally more distinct than that in saturation.
10. Results of the three subjects excellently agreed with one another and they were also in harmony with what Torgerson obtained with the pooled data of 40 subjects.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : 1) Torgerson, W. S.: Multi-dimensional scaling theory and method. Phychometrika, 1952, 17, 4-01-4-19.
2) Torgerson, W. S.: A theoretical and empirical investigation of multi-dimensional scaling. Research Bull., RS-51-14, Educational Testing Service, 1951.
3) Reese, T. W.: The application of the theory of physical measurement to the measurement of psychological examples. Psychol. Monogr., 1943, 55, No. 3.
4) Boring, E. G.: The Psychophysics of color tolerance. Amer. J. Psychol., 1939, 52, 384-394
5) Stevens, S.S.: A scale for the measurement of a psychological magnitude loudness. Psychol. Rev., 1936, 43, 4-05-416.
6) Stevens, S. S. and Volkmann, J.: The relation of pitch to frequency: a revised scale. Amer. J. Psychol., 1940, 53, 329-353.
7) Judd, D. B.: Colors in business, science, and industry. New York, John Wiley, 1952.
8) Burnham, R. W.: Comparison of color systems with respect to uniform visual spacing. J. opt. Soc. Amer., 1959, 39, 387-392.
9) Newhall, S. M.: The ratio method in the review of the Munsell colors. Amer. J. Psychol., 1939, 52, 394-405.
10) Balinkin, I. A.: Industrial color tolerances. Amer. J. Psychol., 1939, 52, 428-448.
11) Mosteller, F.: Remarks on the method of paired comparisons: 1. The least squared solution assuming equal standard deviations and equal correlations. Psychometrika, 1931, 16, 3-9.
12) Messick, S. J. and Abelson, R. P.: The additive constant problem in multi-dimensional scaling. Research Bull., RS-54-13, Educational Testing Service, 1954.
13) .Messick, S. J.: The perception of attitudes relationships: A multi-dimensional scaling approach to the structure of social attitudes. Research Bull., RB-54-27, Educational Testing Service, 1954.
14) Young, G. and Householder, A. S.: Discussion of a set of points in terms of their mutual distances. Psychometrika, 1938, 3, 19-22.

Right : 1) Torgerson, W. S.: Multi-dimensional scaling theory and method. Phychometrika, 1952, 17, 401-419.
2) Torgerson, W. S.: A theoretical and empirical investigation of multi-dimensional scaling. Research Bull., RS-51-14, Educational Testing Service, 1951.
3) Reese, T. W.: The application of the theory of physical measurement to the measurement of psychological examples. Psychol. Monogr., 1943, 55, No.3.
4) Boring, E. G.: The Psychophysics of color tolerance. Amer. J. Psychol., 1939, 52, 384-394
5) Stevens, S. S.: A scale for the measurement of a psychological magnitude: loudness. Psychol. Rev., 1936, 43, 405-416.
6) Stevens, S. S. and Volkmann, J.: The relation of pitch to frequency: a revised scale. Amer. J. Psychol., 1940, 53, 329-353.
7) Judd, D. B.: Colors in business, science, and industry. New York, John Wiley, 1952.
8) Burnham, R. W.: Comparison of color systems with respect to uniform visual spacing. J. opt. Soc. Amer., 1949, 39, 387-392.
9) Newhall, S. M.: The ratio method in the review of the Munsell colors. Amer. J. Psychol., 1939, 52, 394-405.
10) Balinkin, I. A.: Industrial color tolerances. Amer. J. Psychol., 1939, 52, 428-448.
11) Mosteller, F.: Remarks on the method of paired comparisons: 1. The least squared solution assuming equal standard deviations and equal correlations. Psychometrika, 1951, 16, 3-9.
12) Messick, S. J. and Abelson, R. P.: The additive constant problem in multi-dimensional scaling. Research Bull., RS-54-13, Educational Testing Service, 1954.
13) Messick, S. J.: The perception of attitudes relationships: A multi-dimensional scaling approach to the structure of social attitudes. Research Bull., RB-54-27, Educational Testing Service, 1954.
14) Young, G. and Householder, A. S.: Discussion of a set of points in terms of their mutual distances. Psychometrika, 1938, 3, 19-22.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: PDF FILE Details: -

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