Cognitive comparison of unique and intermediate hues

Eight panels were prepared using the most highly chromatic Natural Colour System (NCS) samples for each hue. Each panel consisted of a test hue and two reference hues, the samples representing either mean unique hues (uH) R, Y, B, or G as determined in earlier experiments or intermediate hues half way between them, (iHs) Or, Pp, YG, and BG. Subjects were asked to determine whether they considered it possible to match the test hue with the reference hues. A total of 45 color‐normal subjects participated in the study in three separate trials with at least 24 h gap between consecutive trials. The results, with very few exceptions, showed that a match was considered possible for the four iHs based on a mixture of adjacent pairs of uHs, while the majority did not believe uHs could be matched based on amounts of adjacent iHs. Statistical analysis of the test results indicates that responses for the two sets of panels were significantly different (P ～ 0, df = 539). The results provide support for Hering's uHs concept. However, a number of subjects believed that a mixture of adjacent iHs can result in a match of the reference uHs. Potential causes may include the use of experimental mean unique and intermediate hues and learned facts of colorant mixture. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 40, 264–269, 2015