Fechner's colors are induced by flickering monochromatic light
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Date
2001Author
Elliott, Mark
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Herrmann, C. S., & Elliott, M. A., (2001). Fechner's colors are induced by flickering monochromatic light. In E. Sommerfeld, R. Kompass, & T. Lachmann (Eds.). Fechner Day 2001. Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the International Society of Psychophysics, Lengerich; Berlin; Riga; Rome; Viernheim; Vienna; Zagreb: Pabst Science Publishers (pp. 427-431).
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Abstract
Fechner described the phenomenon of inducing illusory colors by means of rotating blackand-
white disks. The induced spectral illusions were later termed "Fechner's colors". Similar
color perceptions can be induced by non-rotating stimuli even on computer screens.
We performed an experiment to investigate whether a uniform "Ganzfeld" formed by means
of rhythmically generated, unstructured, monochromatic light (i.e. flicker) is sufficient to
induce perceptual phenonemoa analogous with Fechner's colors. Ten human observers
participated in the experiment, reporting both color and form illusions despite the absence
of particular spectral and spatial variations in the "Ganzfeld". Moreover, particular illusions
were induced reliably at particular frequencies, which may be taken to indicate
that visual experience of different qualities may be subserved by mechanisms with different
temporal sensitivities. In conclusion, rhythmic visual stimulation is sufficient to induce
form-based illusions and illusions analogous with Fechner's colors, while the qualitative
nature of those illusions may necessarily depend upon the frequency of stimulation.