A description is given of the H-R-R plates and evaluation of the test as a device (a) to separate those with defective color vision from those with normal color vision, (b) to classify the type of defect (qualitative diagnosis), and (c) to indicate the extent of the defect (quantitative diagnosis). For this evaluation 780 subjects were used, not selected on the basis of a statistical survey. The H-R-R plates are shown to be in complete agreement with the A.O. test (revised selection) in separating the subjects into two groups: 150 with defective and 630 with normal red-green vision. The test agrees remarkably well with the Nagel anomaloscope in classifying the subjects with defective red-green vision into deutan and protan types. It rates 23 percent of these subjects as having mild defect, 31 percent as having medium defect, and 46 percent as having strong defect. For the subjects with defective color vision, a detailed comparison is presented of the qualitative classifications into deutan and protan types yielded by the H-R-R plates with those made by the Nagel anomaloscope, the Tshihara test, and the dichotomous test. A further comparison is made for these subjects between the quantitative estimates of extent of defect by the H-R-R plates and performance on various aptitude tests which were designed to select those color-defective persons who can meet the color requirements of specific but different tasks. It is shown that the percentage who pass these tests significantly and consistently decreases as the severity of defect shown by the H-R-R plates increases. The practical importance of a simply administered, comprehensive test, such as is provided by the H-R-R plates, to vocational selection and guidance is discussed, and an example given of their application in the radio and television industry.
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Record on battery of tests of subjects who were unclassified as to type of red-green defect by the Nagel anomaloscope (Subjects 1–3) and by the H-R-R plates (Subjects 4–8).
Several interpretations of score on this test have been suggested. A score of ≥50 is now being used by the Air Forces to qualify a subject as color defective safe; a score <50 to rate him as unsafe.
Table II
Percentage of subjects having defective red-green vision rated by the H-R-R plates as having mild, medium and strong defect. These percentages were computed after 57, 94, 119, and 150 subjects had been studied.
Extent of defect
N = 57
N = 94
N = 119
N = 150
%
%
%
%
Mild
22.8
24.5
24.4
22.7
Medium
29.8
26.6
29.4
30.7
Strong
47.4
48.9
46.2
46.7
Table III
Relative difficulty of each plate 3–14 of the H-R-R test as indicated by the percentage of 150 subjects with defective red-green vision who fail each plate. The notation (G) in connection with the plate number indicates that green and blue-green designs are paired on the plate; (R) that red and red-purple designs are paired.
H-R-R test
Plate no.
Percentage failing
%
Screening series (plates 3–5)
3 (R)
99
4 (R)
89
5 (G)
98
Mild series (plates 6–9)
6 (G)
95
7 (R)
80
8 (G)
89
9 (G)
84
Medium series (plates 10–12)
10 (R)
71
11 (R)
62
12 (G)
51
Strong series (plates 13–14)
13 (R)
45
14 (R)
44
Table IV
Comparison of the qualitative diagnoses given by the H-R-R plates with those given by the Nagel anomaloscope, the Ishihara test, and the dichotomous test. The comparison is based on the results for 150 subjects with defective red-green vision.
Classification by H-R-R plates
Number of cases
Nagel anomaloscope
Classification by Ishihara test
Dichotomous test
Deutan
Protan
Uncl.
Deutan
Protan
Uncl.
Deutan
Protan
Uncl.
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Deutan
89
97
0
3
75
0
25
53
0
47
Protan
56
0
100
0
4
73
23
0
77
23
Unclassified
5
80
20
0
20
0
80
0
0
100
Table V
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the Navy lantern (N = 150).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (23% of total group)
Medium (31% of total group)
Strong (46% of total group)
Total N = 150
Navy lantern ↓
Unclassified N = 5
Deutan N = 29
Both N = 34
Deutan N = 32
Protan N = 14
Both N = 46
Deutan N = 28
Protan N = 42
Both N = 70
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed
80
55
59
6
21
11
0
0
0
17
Failed
20
45
41
94
79
89
100
100
100
83
Table VI
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the color threshold tester (N = 150).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (23% of total group)
Medium (31% of total group)
Strong (46% of total group)
Total N = 150
Color thresholds tester ↓
Unclassified N = 5
Deutan N = 29
Both N = 34
Deutan N = 32
Protan N = 14
Both N = 46
Deutan N = 28
Protan N = 42
Both N = 70
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed (score 50 or more)
100
86
88
16
14
15
0
0
0
25
Failed (score less than 50)
0
14
12
84
86
85
100
100
100
75
Table VII
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the resistor color code test (N = 92).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (25% of total group)
Medium (32% of total group)
Strong (43% of total group)
Total N = 92
Resistor color code test ↓
Unclassified N = 4
Deutan N = 19
Both N = 23
Deutan N = 20
Protan N = 9
Both N = 29
Deutan N = 13
Protan N = 27
Both N = 40
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed
100
100
100
20
22
21
0
0
0
32
Failed
0
0
0
80
78
79
100
100
100
68
Table VIII
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the dichotomous test (N = 150).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (23% of total group)
Medium (31% of total group)
Strong (46% of total group)
Total N = 150
Dichotomous test ↓
Unclassified N = 5
Deutan N = 29
Both N = 34
Deutan N = 32
Protan N = 14
Both N = 46
Deutan N = 28
Protan N = 42
Both N = 70
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed
100
97
97
22
64
35
4
7
6
35
Failed
0
3
3
78
36
65
96
93
94
65
Table IX
Comparison of estimates of extent of defect by the H-R-R plates with settings on the Nagel anomaloscope as to match point and match range. The anomaloscope settings are recorded in terms of scale divisions. The comparison is made for 86 subjects classified by the anomaloscope as anomalous trichromats.
This subject failed H-R-R plates of the screening series only (plates 3–5) and passed all the plates used for the qualitative diagnosis (plates 6–14). He is rated by the H-R-R test as having defective red-green vision, mild in extent, unclassified as to type.
Table X
Comparison of rating as to extent of defect by the H-R-R plates with error scores made on the A.O., the Ishihara (5th edition), and the Boström-Kugelberg tests.
H-R-R plates: rating as to extent of defect
A.O.
Ishihara
Boström-Kugelberg
Average error score
Individual scatter
Average error score
Individual scatter
Average error score
Individual scatter
Mild
10.9
5–15
7.9
3–12
10.0
2–15
Medium
15.1
12–18
11.0
8–12
14.3
12–15
Strong
16.0
12–18
11.3
9–12
14.4
12–15
Tables (10)
Table I
Record on battery of tests of subjects who were unclassified as to type of red-green defect by the Nagel anomaloscope (Subjects 1–3) and by the H-R-R plates (Subjects 4–8).
Several interpretations of score on this test have been suggested. A score of ≥50 is now being used by the Air Forces to qualify a subject as color defective safe; a score <50 to rate him as unsafe.
Table II
Percentage of subjects having defective red-green vision rated by the H-R-R plates as having mild, medium and strong defect. These percentages were computed after 57, 94, 119, and 150 subjects had been studied.
Extent of defect
N = 57
N = 94
N = 119
N = 150
%
%
%
%
Mild
22.8
24.5
24.4
22.7
Medium
29.8
26.6
29.4
30.7
Strong
47.4
48.9
46.2
46.7
Table III
Relative difficulty of each plate 3–14 of the H-R-R test as indicated by the percentage of 150 subjects with defective red-green vision who fail each plate. The notation (G) in connection with the plate number indicates that green and blue-green designs are paired on the plate; (R) that red and red-purple designs are paired.
H-R-R test
Plate no.
Percentage failing
%
Screening series (plates 3–5)
3 (R)
99
4 (R)
89
5 (G)
98
Mild series (plates 6–9)
6 (G)
95
7 (R)
80
8 (G)
89
9 (G)
84
Medium series (plates 10–12)
10 (R)
71
11 (R)
62
12 (G)
51
Strong series (plates 13–14)
13 (R)
45
14 (R)
44
Table IV
Comparison of the qualitative diagnoses given by the H-R-R plates with those given by the Nagel anomaloscope, the Ishihara test, and the dichotomous test. The comparison is based on the results for 150 subjects with defective red-green vision.
Classification by H-R-R plates
Number of cases
Nagel anomaloscope
Classification by Ishihara test
Dichotomous test
Deutan
Protan
Uncl.
Deutan
Protan
Uncl.
Deutan
Protan
Uncl.
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Deutan
89
97
0
3
75
0
25
53
0
47
Protan
56
0
100
0
4
73
23
0
77
23
Unclassified
5
80
20
0
20
0
80
0
0
100
Table V
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the Navy lantern (N = 150).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (23% of total group)
Medium (31% of total group)
Strong (46% of total group)
Total N = 150
Navy lantern ↓
Unclassified N = 5
Deutan N = 29
Both N = 34
Deutan N = 32
Protan N = 14
Both N = 46
Deutan N = 28
Protan N = 42
Both N = 70
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed
80
55
59
6
21
11
0
0
0
17
Failed
20
45
41
94
79
89
100
100
100
83
Table VI
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the color threshold tester (N = 150).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (23% of total group)
Medium (31% of total group)
Strong (46% of total group)
Total N = 150
Color thresholds tester ↓
Unclassified N = 5
Deutan N = 29
Both N = 34
Deutan N = 32
Protan N = 14
Both N = 46
Deutan N = 28
Protan N = 42
Both N = 70
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed (score 50 or more)
100
86
88
16
14
15
0
0
0
25
Failed (score less than 50)
0
14
12
84
86
85
100
100
100
75
Table VII
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the resistor color code test (N = 92).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (25% of total group)
Medium (32% of total group)
Strong (43% of total group)
Total N = 92
Resistor color code test ↓
Unclassified N = 4
Deutan N = 19
Both N = 23
Deutan N = 20
Protan N = 9
Both N = 29
Deutan N = 13
Protan N = 27
Both N = 40
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed
100
100
100
20
22
21
0
0
0
32
Failed
0
0
0
80
78
79
100
100
100
68
Table VIII
Comparison of the estimates of extent of defect given by the H-R-R plates with pass-fail performance on the dichotomous test (N = 150).
H-R-R plates →
Mild (23% of total group)
Medium (31% of total group)
Strong (46% of total group)
Total N = 150
Dichotomous test ↓
Unclassified N = 5
Deutan N = 29
Both N = 34
Deutan N = 32
Protan N = 14
Both N = 46
Deutan N = 28
Protan N = 42
Both N = 70
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Passed
100
97
97
22
64
35
4
7
6
35
Failed
0
3
3
78
36
65
96
93
94
65
Table IX
Comparison of estimates of extent of defect by the H-R-R plates with settings on the Nagel anomaloscope as to match point and match range. The anomaloscope settings are recorded in terms of scale divisions. The comparison is made for 86 subjects classified by the anomaloscope as anomalous trichromats.
This subject failed H-R-R plates of the screening series only (plates 3–5) and passed all the plates used for the qualitative diagnosis (plates 6–14). He is rated by the H-R-R test as having defective red-green vision, mild in extent, unclassified as to type.
Table X
Comparison of rating as to extent of defect by the H-R-R plates with error scores made on the A.O., the Ishihara (5th edition), and the Boström-Kugelberg tests.