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Updated: Aug 12, 2026
07:45
Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition
Published on: July 21, 2020
Lightness and brightness judgments of coplanar retinally noncontiguous surfaces
1Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.
Summary
Perceived depth influences surface appearance. Adjusting a test patch
Area of Science:
- Visual perception
- Color science
- Psychophysics
Background:
- Surface lightness and brightness perception are complex.
- Visual context, including surrounding luminances, affects perceived appearance.
- The role of perceived depth in these judgments requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how perceived depth influences judgments of surface lightness and brightness.
- To determine if manipulating perceived depth alters the required luminance for a perceived match.
Main Methods:
- Simulated Mondrian displays were presented via CRT through a haploscope.
- Test and comparison patches were presented at different luminances and independently varied disparities.
- Observers adjusted test patch luminance to match a comparison patch under different perceived depth conditions.
Main Results:
- Test patches perceived in a nearer, more illuminated plane required up to 15% higher luminance for a match.
- Both lightness and brightness judgments were significantly affected by the perceived depth of the test patch.
- Inexperienced observers' lightness judgments were sometimes dominated by local contrast.
Conclusions:
- Perceived depth is a critical factor in achromatic surface appearance judgments.
- Visual context, including luminance and perceived depth, interacts to determine lightness and brightness.
- These findings have implications for understanding visual processing and display technologies.
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