When does perceived lightness depend on perceived spatial arrangement?

Abstract

Experiments have recently been reported in which a decisive change in perceived lightness was produced by a change in perceived spatial position, with no important change in the retinal image. A number of previous studies had found little or no such effect. Experiments of the kind that produced these effects and of the kind that do not produce these effects are presented here. The main differences between these two kinds of experiments are discussed. One difference is whether the display allows the target to be part of one ratio in one spatial position but another in the other spatial position. Another difference concerns the range of luminances within the display. Also discussed are the implications of these findings for cognitive vs. S-R theories, the order of processing depth and lightness, laboratory data vs. experience, the role of lateral inhibition in lightness perception, and theories of lightness perception in general. © 1980 Psychonomic Society, Inc.