EXTRAOCULAR COLOR VISION (EOCV)
“Psychological Correlates of Extraocular Color Vision”
A thesis
submitted to Bangalore University in fulfillment of the requirement for the
Ph.D. degree
Doctorate
awarded in 1998
A Case for the Present Study
Studies in extraocular vision are due to:
“Practical interest in
exploiting new sensory abilities, particularly as they might benefit the blind;
and theoretical interest in understanding the senses and the ways in which they
respond to physical conditions.” (Makous, 1966, p.303)
This researcher has both these
interests in mind. However, the area of
extraocular vision is untapped. Rarely
do textbooks mention this phenomenon.
Very few Journals publish studies on skin vision. As a consequence not much of the information
is available to a serious researcher.
And the more the professionals shy away from this area, the greater it
results in a vicious cycle as no information is available for the Journals and
textbooks to talk about.
This researcher had certain personal
experiences to vouch for the credibility of skin vision. Certified blind persons choosing colored
material specifically; lighting a cigarette; fetching water in a crowded
railway platform without assistance; moving about like normal people; and
scores of other instances were witnessed by this researcher. It first led to a simple hypothesis that if
some people can engage in these activities probably other visually handicapped
people, too, may possess an inherent potential to do so. Fifteen years of groundwork and non-formal
testing have armed the researcher to venture into this new field of Extraocular Color Vision.
Nevertheless, selecting a new field is
beset with problems. One problem is to
choose the appropriate research methodology.
It is always safer and scientifically sound to set out with an open mind
without making any assumptions about the area of research. When so less amount of research evidence is
available in an area it is necessary to explore it from the beginning as if
nothing has been done in it.
Thus,
"For a general area of
problems about which little knowledge is available, an exploratory study is
most appropriate” (Wilkinson & Bhandarkar, 1984, p.93).
“Exploratory studies have
three purposes: to discover significant
variables in the field situation, to discover relations among variables, and to
lay the groundwork for later, more systematic and rigorous testing of
hypotheses.” (Kerlinger, 1978, p.406)
All three purposes have been kept in
mind in designing the present study. This
research tries to answer the following questions: Is extraocular vision amenable for an explanation
so that it can lead to a theoretical construct?
Is extraocular color vision possible?
If so, can it be reliably measured?
What characteristics in human beings determine the degree of extraocular
color vision?
The first chapter of the Introduction provides the
background, historical perspective, the nature of Extraocular Vision,
theoretical orientation, and the status of Extraocular Vision.
The second chapter on Conceptual Framework outlines the
large amount of research done in several areas of study and tries to link them
to extraocular vision.
The third chapter attempts to review the work already
done in the area related to extraocular color vision.
The fourth chapter outlines the present study where the
concept of extraocular color vision is explained.
A methodology to tackle the problems mentioned above is proposed
in the fifth chapter.
The details of the Pilot Study are contained in the
sixth chapter.
The data obtained are explained and discussed in the
seventh chapter. A model of extraocular
color vision is proposed in the eighth chapter.
The last chapter provides a summary and conclusions.
These are followed by delimitations of the present
study, suggestions, references and bibliography, and appendixes.
The topic of extraocular color vision
must be dealt with in greater detail than is expected of a given area of
research because of its enigmatic nature and as it is quite a new area in
scientific research that is unexplored.
Hence, `exploratory research' (Katz, 1965) is
undertaken.
Abstract
The ability of the
skin to identify color has long been suspected and a few studies have ventured
to establish it. An exploratory study is
undertaken to overcome the lacunae in the area of extraocular color vision
(EOCV) to contribute to the knowledge and philosophy of science as well as to
provide a springboard for further training and development. The objective is to establish experimentally
that EOCV is not due to chance and that color is identified extraocularly. The sample consists of an equal number of
male and female volunteers drawn from the Sighted, Partially Sighted, and
Totally Blind populations. A total of 64
subjects - half of them sighted - are presented under controlled conditions
with three stimuli, each stimulus 24 times, at a distance of about 4 cm from
the ventral side of the left hand.
Correct responses obtained in terms of 0, 1, and 2 for blank, blue, and red
stimuli respectively indicate EOCV. The
scores based on such a measurement are found to be reliable and valid. The average performance is significantly
above chance. The blue color is more
accurately identified than other stimuli.
Practice improves EOCV quite considerably. The totally blind participants are better
than the other groups at identifying the stimuli and benefiting from the
practice. Gender, time of the day, and
time interval have no significant effect on EOCV. Several background, personal, psychological,
and visual impairment variables are capable of predicting extraocular color
sensitivity. It is imperative to change
the outlook toward the capability of human sensitivity.
Conclusions
The unique exploratory study on EOCV has culminated in
arriving at the following conclusions:
1. The fingertips of the left hand of the
blind-folded subjects are capable of identifying the color and its absence
which irritates the skin at a distance of about 4 cm significantly higher than
chance performance on average.
2. EOCV is an inherent capability that is
normally distributed.
3. Blue color is considerably easier to
identify extraocularly than red.
4. Practice improves EOCV performance
significantly though individual differences exist in terms of benefitting from
the feedback.
5. Blue color is
learned faster and better than blank or red stimuli.
6. Time of the day
has no significant effect on EOCV.
7. Time interval has
no significant effect on EOCV.
8. Sex has no
significant effect on EOCV.
9. The totally blind can learn to identify all
three stimuli as against the sighted and the partially sighted who can learn
and identify only the colors.
10. Psychological variables are
capable of predicting EOCV significantly better than background and personal
variables.
11. Previous visual experience tends
to be negatively related to EOCV performance.
12. Low and high scorers on EOCV
differ significantly in terms of social participation, handedness, haptic
sensitivity, and unusual perceptions and associations.
13. Working mother as a background
variable in addition to psychological variables like deliberate and systematic
thought, unusual perceptions and associations, lies, spatial-motor ability, and
handedness are capable of collectively predicting EOCV performance.
14. A total of 18 variables - 6
background, 5 personal, and 7 psychological - act as predictors of low and high
EOCV performance.
15. The process of extraocular sensory
experience and the association of several factors contribute to a model of
EOCV.
CONTACT
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REFERENCES
Katz, D. (1965). Field studies. In L. Festinger & D. Katz (Eds.). Research methods in the behavioral sciences. New Delhi:
Amerind Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.
56‑97.
Makous, W. L. (1966). Cutaneous color sensitivity: explanation and demonstration. Psychological
Review, 73, 280-294.
Kerlinger, F. N. (1978). Foundations of behavioral research. Delhi:
Surjeet Publications.
Wilkinson, T. S., & Bhandarkar,
P. L. (1984). Methodology and techniques of social research (4th ed.). Bombay:
Himalaya Publishing House.
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