Memory Color

A memory color is an observer’s knowledge of a typical object color. The typicality of the memorized color implies that the observer considers the memory color to be representative or “canonical” for the range of colors, in which the respective object occurs. In this way, it determines the observer’s expectation about an object’s color based on her or his prior knowledge. For example, an observer that is only familiar with the yellowish color shades of the ripe common bananas (i.e. Cavendish bananas) would be surprised to encounter a Red Dacca banana because it is not in line with this observer memory color. The concept of memory color is historically closely related to the idea of a memory color effect on color appearance. Moreover, it partly overlaps with the notion of “color diagnosticity”. Finally, it ultimately refers to the same phenomenon as “canonical color,” though with different emphases and connotations. This section will clarify these conceptual relationships.