A power law for perceived contrast in human vision

Gottesman, Jon; Rubin, Gary S.; Legge, Gordon E.

doi:10.1016/0042-6989(81)90176-0

Cited by 43 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Although some investigators have reported that perceived contrast increases linearly with physical contrast (e.g., Cannon, 1979;Fiorentini & Maffei, 1973), the present data and other investigators (e.g., Franzen & Berkley, 1975;Gottesman et al, 1981) suggest a power function relationship. Since most deviations from the power function occur when magnitude estimates are obtained near threshold, this inconsistency appears to be a range effect.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 40%

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Contrast-increment thresholds are related to variability in the apparent contrast function

Baro

Lehmkuhle

Applegate

1988

Perception & Psychophysics

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Although Fechner (1860Fechner ( /1912 asserted that the gain of a sensory system should determine its ability to resolve different stimulus magnitudes, most researchers have found that gain and resolving power are not consistently related. The present study assessed gain (measured by magnitude estimation) and increment threshold (measured by a forced-choice procedure) in the same observers under the same viewing conditions. It was found that gain and increment threshold were not inversely related, as proposed by Fechner. However, relative variability in apparent contrast (standard error/magnitude estimate) was correlated with relative increment threshold (increment thresholdlbackground contrast). This correlation was even higher following pattern adaptation. These findings imply that resolving power for contrast is determined by variability in the system's response to contrast rather than by its gain. Because this relationship is strengthened by adaptation, adaptation may reduce the contribution of other factors that add noise to the unadapted visual system.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 40%

“…For similar procedures, reported slopes typically range from 0.5 to well over 1.0 (Cannon, 1984;Franzen & Berkley, 1975;Gottesman, Rubin, & Legge, 1981).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrast-increment thresholds are related to variability in the apparent contrast function

Baro

Lehmkuhle

Applegate

1988

Perception & Psychophysics

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“…This result has been called into question by other studies that have found the exponent to be unaffected by changes in spatial frequency (e.g., Gottesman, Rubin, & Legge, 1981). Possible artifactual reasons for the spatial frequency effect include failure to take into account range and stimulus repetition effects as well as contrast threshold differences.…”

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confidence: 44%

“…Franzen and Berkley (1975) initially reported increases in the exponent with increasing spatial frequency (see also Essock, 1982, for a report of high exponents at a high spatial frequency). A number of other investigators have failed to find such an increase, reporting instead an exponent that is independent of spatial frequency (Cannon, 1979;Ginsburg, Cannon, & Nelson, 1980;Gottesman, Rubin, & Legge, 1981;Hamerly, Quick, & Reichert, 1977). Most recently, however, Biondini and Mattiello (1985) reported a new effect of spatial frequency on the perceived-contrast function.…”

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confidence: 92%

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Suprathreshold contrast perception as a function of spatial frequency

Quinn

1985

Perception & Psychophysics

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Several studies have indicated that the exponent of the function relating perceived contrast to physical contrast is influenced by spatial frequency (e.g., Franzen & Berkley, 1975). This result has been called into question by other studies that have found the exponent to be unaffected by changes in spatial frequency (e.g., Gottesman, Rubin, & Legge, 1981). Possible artifactual reasons for the spatial frequency effect include failure to take into account range and stimulus repetition effects as well as contrast threshold differences. The present study examined the influence of spatial frequency on the relationship between perceived and physical contrast and controlled for these possible artifacts. Using a modulus-free version of magnitude estimation, judgments of perceived contrast were obtained from 7 observers at each of four spatial frequencies-.75, 4, 15, and 18 cycles per degree (cpd). When the data were fit with a threshold-corrected power function, an increase in the exponent of the perceived-contrast function was still observed at both low and high spatial frequencies, relative to a middle 'spatial frequency.Although the influence of spatial frequency on contrast sensitivity has been well documented (for a review, see Sekuler, 1974), its effect on the perception of suprathreshold levels of contrast is currently a matter of debate. A relatively recent concern among visual psychophysicists is how perceived contrast grows as a function of physical contrast for different spatial frequencies. The exponent of the power function relating perceived contrast to physical contrast provides an index of the rate of growth. Franzen and Berkley (1975) initially reported increases in the exponent with increasing spatial frequency (see also Essock, 1982, for a report of high exponents at a high spatial frequency). A number of other investigators have failed to find such an increase, reporting instead an exponent that is independent of spatial frequency (Cannon, 1979;Ginsburg, Cannon, & Nelson, 1980;Gottesman, Rubin, & Legge, 1981;Hamerly, Quick, & Reichert, 1977). Most recently, however, Biondini and Mattiello (1985) reported a new effect of spatial frequency on the perceived-contrast function. Consistent with Franzen and Berkley's (1975) findings, the exponent was found to increase with increases in spatial frequency from an intermediate value. However, in extending Franzen and Berkley's findings, Biondini and Mattiello also found an increase in the exponent with decreases in spatial frequency from an intermediate value.This research was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant DHHS EY03524 awarded to Stephen Lehrnkuhle. The author would like to thank Jon Gottesman, Stephen Lehmkuhle, Scott Stevenson, E. A. Wasserman, and two anonymous reviewers for the many useful suggestions they provided during the preparation of the manuscript, and Pat Anthony for her help in preparing the tables. The author is now with the Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, and requests for reprints should be...

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Matching Coding to Scenes to Enhance Efficiency

Laughlin

1983

Springer Series in Information Sciences

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A power law for perceived contrast in human vision

Cited by 43 publications

References 32 publications

Contrast-increment thresholds are related to variability in the apparent contrast function

Contrast-increment thresholds are related to variability in the apparent contrast function

Suprathreshold contrast perception as a function of spatial frequency

Matching Coding to Scenes to Enhance Efficiency

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