A note concerning the relationship between the Adelson’s Argyle Illusion and Cornsweet edges Cover Image

A note concerning the relationship between the Adelson’s Argyle Illusion and Cornsweet edges
A note concerning the relationship between the Adelson’s Argyle Illusion and Cornsweet edges

Author(s): Oliver Flynn, Arthur G. Shapiro
Subject(s): Cognitive Psychology, Neuropsychology
Published by: Društvo psihologa Srbije
Keywords: brightness; contrast; vision; illumination; illusion; perception;

Summary/Abstract: Adelson’s Argyle illusion and the Craik-O’Brien-Cornsweet illusion are two noteworthy brightness illusions. In the Argyle illusion two identical gray areas are perceived to have radically different brightness levels when they are surrounded by a pattern similar to an argyle clothing design. The Craik-O’Brien-Cornsweet (C-O-C) illusion shows two identical gray areas appear different brightness when they are separated by a “Cornsweet edge.” The C-O-C illusion is remarkable for the large distances over which the effect holds even though the Cornsweet edge is relatively narrow. Here we draw a connection between these two illusions by extending the columns of the Argyle illusion to produce what we refer to as long range Argyles (LoRAs). We show that LoRAs have many similar properties to Cornsweet edges and they are capable of producing brightness effects over a large spatial range. It therefore seems that part of the strength of the Argyle illusion arises from a combination of standard simultaneous brightness effects and edge effects like those produced by the C-O-C illusion. Lastly, we discuss a curious difference between the effects of LoRAs and Cornsweet edges.

  • Issue Year: 47/2014
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 353-358
  • Page Count: 6
  • Language: English