Name W. H. | Died June 21, 1980 | |
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Education Trinity College, Cambridge, Gresham's School | ||
William Albert Hugh Rushton FRS (8 December 1901 – 21 June 1980) was professor of Physiology at Trinity College, Cambridge. His main interest lay in colour vision and his Principle of Univariance is of seminal importance in the study of perception.
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Education
Rushton was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, and the University of Cambridge.
Principle of Univariance
In his lecture "Pigments and signals in colour vision" he stated it thus: "The output of a receptor depends upon its quantum catch, but not upon what quanta are caught."
This means that one and the same visual receptor cell can be excited by different combinations of wavelength and intensity, so that the brain can not know the colour of that point of the retinal picture.
Psychical Research
Rushton held an interest in parapsychology. From 1969-1971 he was the President of the Society for Psychical Research.
He was known for suggesting natural explanations for alleged paranormal phenomena. He revealed how the device of Ted Serios known as a "gismo" could have been utilized to produce fraudulent psychic photographs.