Detection of colour changes in a moving object

The colour-changing stimulus paradigm is based on a tacit assumption that kinematic attributes (velocity, movement direction) do not affect the detection of colour change (Moutoussis & Zeki, 1997). In this study three experiments are reported that clearly demonstrate that the time needed to detect changes in colouration of a moving stimulus becomes shorter with its velocity. The reduction of reaction time with increase of velocity is a purely kinematic effect independent on the reduction of reaction time caused by the stimulus uncertainty effects. It is concluded that colour coding mechanisms are not totally ignorant about movement parameters.