Celeste McCollough
Encyclopedia
Celeste McCollough, known since about 1996 as Celeste McCollough Howard is an American scientist who conducts research in human visual perception
. She is famous for discovering, in 1965, the first contingent aftereffect, known soon after as the McCollough effect
. To induce the McCollough effect, a person alternately views two grating
s of different orientations (e.g., vertical and horizontal) that are also differently coloured (e.g., orange and blue respectively) for a few minutes. The effect is that black-and-white versions of the gratings appear to be tinted by complementary colours (i.e., blue and orange respectively). Apart from the colours' being contingent on the orientation of the gratings (distinguishing them from afterimages), they are also extremely long-lasting. About 10 minutes of induction can lead to the effect persisting for 24 hours (e.g., Jones & Holding, 1975).
The biography that follows is largely based on Howard (2000, December).
at Oberlin College
. In 1962-63 during her first sabbatical leave, she conducted research in Canada into the perceptual effects of wearing spectacles tinted with two colours (McCollough, 1965b). This led to her discovering the effect that bears her name (McCollough, 1965a). Her paper sparked hundreds of other scientific papers.
(UDRI). She worked on the role of colour in flight simulation displays for the Air Force Human Resources Lab at Williams Air Force Base
, Arizona
(e.g., Howard, 1992; Howard, 1994; Howard, 1996). Her work on the dim light available from early color displays led her to participate in the Commission International de l'Eclairage
(CIE) division on mesopic photometry (e.g., Howard, 1997). She also completed research on the relation between the McCollough effect and global pattern-processing (McCollough, 2000).
After 1995, she joined the Air Force laboratory's Night Vision Training Research Program under contracts held by private corporations. This research included studies of early mesopic adaptation to luminance decrements encountered in the cockpit while wearing night vision goggles (Howard, Tregear, & Werner, 2000).
In November 2003, McCollough resigned from the Night Vision Training Research Program and moved to Portland
Oregon
to be near her children and grandchildren.
Visual perception
Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...
. She is famous for discovering, in 1965, the first contingent aftereffect, known soon after as the McCollough effect
McCollough effect
The McCollough effect is a phenomenon of human visual perception in which colorless gratings appear colored depending on the orientation of the gratings. It is an aftereffect requiring a period of induction to produce it...
. To induce the McCollough effect, a person alternately views two grating
Grating
A grating is any regularly spaced collection of essentially identical, parallel, elongated elements. Gratings usually consist of a single set of elongated elements, but can consist of two sets, in which case the second set is usually perpendicular to the first...
s of different orientations (e.g., vertical and horizontal) that are also differently coloured (e.g., orange and blue respectively) for a few minutes. The effect is that black-and-white versions of the gratings appear to be tinted by complementary colours (i.e., blue and orange respectively). Apart from the colours' being contingent on the orientation of the gratings (distinguishing them from afterimages), they are also extremely long-lasting. About 10 minutes of induction can lead to the effect persisting for 24 hours (e.g., Jones & Holding, 1975).
The biography that follows is largely based on Howard (2000, December).
Early years
Celeste McCollough published her first paper from her dissertation research at Columbia University (McCollough, 1955). After teaching 1954-1956 at Olivet College, Olivet, Michigan, she became the first woman appointed to a full-time position in the Department of PsychologyPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
. In 1962-63 during her first sabbatical leave, she conducted research in Canada into the perceptual effects of wearing spectacles tinted with two colours (McCollough, 1965b). This led to her discovering the effect that bears her name (McCollough, 1965a). Her paper sparked hundreds of other scientific papers.
Time out
In 1970 Celeste McCollough resigned her position at Oberlin and devoted her time to raising a daughter and son.Return to research
In 1986, Celeste McCollough returned to vision research, under contract to University of Dayton Research InstituteUniversity of Dayton Research Institute
University of Dayton Research Institute is a research institute led by the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. In 2004 and 2005, the Research Institute was ranked #2 in the nation in federal and industry-funded materials research by the National Science Foundation...
(UDRI). She worked on the role of colour in flight simulation displays for the Air Force Human Resources Lab at Williams Air Force Base
Williams Air Force Base
Williams Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base, located in Mesa, and about southeast of Phoenix, Arizona.It was active as a training base for both the United States Army Air Forces, as well as the USAF from 1941 until its closure in 1993...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(e.g., Howard, 1992; Howard, 1994; Howard, 1996). Her work on the dim light available from early color displays led her to participate in the Commission International de l'Eclairage
International Commission on Illumination
The International Commission on Illumination is the international authority on light, illumination, color, and color spaces...
(CIE) division on mesopic photometry (e.g., Howard, 1997). She also completed research on the relation between the McCollough effect and global pattern-processing (McCollough, 2000).
After 1995, she joined the Air Force laboratory's Night Vision Training Research Program under contracts held by private corporations. This research included studies of early mesopic adaptation to luminance decrements encountered in the cockpit while wearing night vision goggles (Howard, Tregear, & Werner, 2000).
In November 2003, McCollough resigned from the Night Vision Training Research Program and moved to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
to be near her children and grandchildren.