Children's Color Perception in Relation to Habitat and Skin Color

Abstract

Developmental color perception of negroid and caucasoid children in 3 societies is examined in relation to the theories that proximity to the equator and fundus pigmentation (as measured by skin color) reduce shortwave (blue-green) in comparison with long-wave perception. The 278 4- and 8-year-old native-born, urban, English-speaking children were from latitudes 6 degrees 27' N (Enugu, Nigeria), 17 degrees 18' N (Basseterre, Saint Kitts, East Caribbean), and 34 degrees 3' N (Los Angeles, Calif.). Equal numbers of boys and girls from middle socioeconomic homes were medically examined for normal nutritional status and near vision. Children were individually tested on the Gaines Color Perception Test. The results show that short-wavelength perception is less accurate than long-wave-length perception in all locations, but most of the variance is attributable to conditions of low value or chroma stimuli rather than to proximity to the equator. There were no significant differences between Nigerian, Saint Kittitian and California caucasoid children. In accord with the pigmentation theory, young California negroid children had less accurate short-wavelength color perception than California caucasoid children. However, Nigerian and Saint Kittitian negroid children's perceptual accuracy was at least as accurate as that of caucasoid children. Amount of pigmentation does not appear to be a universal variable in children's color perception. Socioeconomic status, nutritional variables, developmental growth of the eye, or controlled stimulus conditions of the present research could account for the lack of positive relationships between color perception and habitat or skin color.