Spatial contrast and scatter: opposing partners in sensations

John J. McCann

doi:10.1117/12.348486

19 May 1999 Spatial contrast and scatter: opposing partners in sensations

John J. McCann

Proceedings Volume 3644, Human Vision and Electronic Imaging IV; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.348486
Event: Electronic Imaging '99, 1999, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

We are all familiar with a number of contrast experiments in which two identical reflectance patches appear different in different spatial contexts. Examples are simultaneous contrast and White's effect. The simultaneous contrast experiment places a gray patch in a white surround to make the gray appear darker. In this case, identical radiances at the target are not identical radiances at the retina. If we want equal retinal radiances, we need, with the aid of an intraocular scatter model, to make a display that has lower display radiances in a white surround. This paper compares a number of scatter-corrected contrast experiments with their uncorrected counterparts. In simultaneous contrast, correcting for scatter shows that the underlying spatial interactions have a larger effect on sensations that in uncorrelated displays. Scatter and contrast tend to cancel, but in this case, they just reduce the apparent size of the spatial interaction. White's effect is just the opposite. The contrast effect and scatter add. In this case, correcting for scatter reduces the size of the effect, but does not overpower it. This paper describes a number of contrast experiments corrected for scattered light. The paper further discusses the magnitude of lightness shifts due to spatial interactions after scatter has been corrected. Scatter cannot explain White's Effect, although correction for scatter reduces its magnitude.

Citation Download Citation

John J. McCann "Spatial contrast and scatter: opposing partners in sensations", Proc. SPIE 3644, Human Vision and Electronic Imaging IV, (19 May 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.348486

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