Cite as:
Daugirdiene A, Jurkutaitis M, Vaitkeviius H, Kulikowski J J, 2000, "Contrast and shift of perceived background colour in experiments on colour constancy" Perception 29 ECVP Abstract Supplement

Contrast and shift of perceived background colour in experiments on colour constancy

A Daugirdiene, M Jurkutaitis, H Vaitkeviius, J J Kulikowski

Under slow-changing illuminations, colour constancy is determined by the differences between the cone responses to light reflected from the background and from objects. We show that, under restricted adaptation, colour appearance is not solely determined by cone contrast. We evaluated colour appearance of a test chip on a neutral background (N5) under variable illumination (restricted time), using asymmetric colour matching: the test chip was matched by a reference chip on the same neutral background under a standard illuminant C (unrestricted time). Matching involved 41 Munsell chips (value 7, chroma 4 and grey N7) for 5 - 8 variable illuminants distributed around C point. Real chips and colour patches reproduced on a Barco Calibrator were used.

The ellipse representing chips matched in colour was centred around the point of grey-chip appearance, which was located on the line connecting coordinates of C and of a given illuminant on the u',v' chromaticity plane. This point did not coincide with the point representing colour appearance of the uniform background. The colour appearances of chips having similar cone contrasts (under variable versus standard illumination) differed.

Two hypothetical mechanisms may explain these results, one related to the cone contrast, and the second determined by the background colour to which observers are not fully adapted.

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