The anchoring effect in lightness perception in humans

A. D. Logvinenko*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Simultaneous lightness contrast is a classical visual illusion, which has been the focus of research for several generations of visual scientists. Still, there is no agreement on its mechanisms. There are two main competing accounts. The first is descended from ideas of Ewald Hering [Hering, E., Outline of a Theory of the Light Sense, (1874), translated from the German by L. Hurvich and D. Jameson, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (1964)]. It is based on low-level retinal mechanisms processing the local luminance contrast between the target and the background. The second, originally proposed by Herman von Helmholtz [von Helmholtz, H., Handbuch der Physiologischen Optik, Leipzig, Voss, (1867).] suggests that the illusion is the result of a misjudgement of the illumination. We present a new demonstration, which challenges both explanations. It suggests that simultaneous lightness contrast is not specifically a lightness illusion, being a particular case of a more general phenomenon known as the 'anchoring effect'.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5-8
Number of pages4
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume334
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Dec 2002
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anchoring effect
  • Luminance
  • Simultaneous lightness contrast
  • Visual illusion

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The anchoring effect in lightness perception in humans'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this