McCollough effect

The McCollough effect is a long-lasting visual aftereffect in which adapting to colored patterns of one orientation makes achromatic patterns of that orientation appear tinted.

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Visual adaptation: A change in sensory responsiveness caused by sustained or repeated stimulation. The effect is a persistent form of adaptation to patterned color.
Celeste McCollough: An American psychologist who reported the orientation-contingent color aftereffect in 1965. Her experiments established the effect now bearing her name.
Color vision: The ability to distinguish differences in light wavelength as differences in perceived color. The aftereffect alters perceived color without changing the achromatic test pattern.
Perceptual learning: A lasting improvement or change in perceptual performance produced by experience. Researchers distinguish the effect's altered appearance from lasting improvements in discrimination.
Orientation selectivity: The tendency of visual neurons to respond preferentially to edges or bars at particular angles. The tint follows the adapted pattern's orientation rather than spreading across all patterns.
Contingent aftereffect: An aftereffect whose occurrence depends on a specific pairing of stimulus properties. McCollough's finding became a landmark example of contingent adaptation.
Orientation discrimination: The ability to distinguish the angular directions of lines or other visual features. Changing test orientation shows that the induced tint is orientation-specific.
Neural plasticity: The capacity of nervous systems to change their structure or function with experience. The effect's persistence raises questions about where visual plasticity is stored.
Color-opponent process: A visual coding scheme in which some neural responses compare signals from different cone classes. Opponent color signals help explain why adaptation can bias perceived hue.
Color adaptation: A change in color sensitivity following prolonged exposure to a colored stimulus. The effect extends color adaptation by making its outcome depend on orientation.