Final answer:
The subject of the question is the visual phenomenon of negative afterimages explained by the opponent-process theory of color vision, whereby overstimulation of certain retinal cells by a color stimulus leads to perception of the complementary color when looking away.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept you're asking about relates to the phenomenon of negative afterimages and is rooted in the workings of the visual system and perceptual psychology. This experience occurs when, after staring at an intense visual stimulus, like a colored dot, and then looking away at a blank surface, a person observes an afterimage in complementary colors. This is due to a process known as the opponent-process theory of color vision. The theory posits that colors are perceived in opposing pairs (green-red, yellow-blue, and black, white). When one set of ganglion cells in the retina is overstimulated and then experiences a sudden decrease in input (as when looking away from the colored stimulus), the afterimage is perceived in the color's opposite hue due to the opponent cells' response.
In practical terms, if you stare at a green dot and then glance at a white surface, you may perceive a red afterimage due to this mechanism of visual processing. This is different from persistence of vision, which refers to the continued perception of a visual stimulus after its removal. However, a pattern presented immediately following the stimulus can disrupt the persistence of vision and reduce the duration of the afterimage, as it quickly shifts the balance of activation among the retinal cells. Demonstrations using flags of specific colors can help illustrate this concept and show the afterimage effect vividly.