do we all see in the same color?

Question

do we see the same colors? is my red that i see that same color as the red you see?

Answer 1

No, we don't, but for most of us it's very close.

First, there are the color-blind. They don't see large portions of the color spectrum, at least as distinct colors, and are by far the biggest portion of the population that don't see colors as the rest of us.

Second there are the tetrachromats. Most of us have three types of light sensitive receptors in our eyes, one for each of the primary colors. Tetrachromats have four, with the fourth sensitive to a different wavelength of light somewhere in between red and green. Because of this they have added ability to distinguish between colors that we cannot... colors look different to them.

Finally, when we speak of color perception and primary colors, that's purely a biological phenomenon. There are an infinite variety of colors and in reality they don't mix as we think - we only percieve them to.

Each of the cones in our eyes is sensitive to a broad range of colors. Colors that are near the center of a cone's range are percieved stongest and colors far are perceived less so. The colors the three types of cones are most sensitive to are what we call the primary colors. Our eyes and brain combine and average these signals to form a "big picture" of color.

Since these processes are chemical/biological and are imperfect there can be subtle differences in how sensitive each person's cones are to varying wavelengths of light. This difference in sensitivity causes subtle differences in perception of color, or of vividness of colors, between everyone and can be influenced by anything which influences the chemical or biological processes.

So no, we don't all see the same color red, nor will we always recognize the exact color red as being such ourselves, but usually the differences are so close as to be insignificant.

Answer 2

I used to wonder that myself. Is there any way we could find out with the technology we have now? Perhaps by researching into peoples' eyes/brains.
Well, people who are colorblind definately see a different color than the red that you see. Their red may look the same as their navy and your navy. Other than colorblind people, we don't know the answer to your question.

Answer 3

I remember me & one of my sisters discussing this when we were little. I think that is very interesting and have thought about it many times.

Answer 4

I'm colorblind so people are always doing that horrible *point at random object* "what color is that duhh...?" and I frequenlty say something they don't agree with. so No.
PS. please don't do that to any color blind people, we are very sick of hearing it.

Answer 5

It's an excellent question. Haunted me for days. I don't think you can ever answer that.

Answer 6

the world may never know....

Answer 7

Can anyone really tell?