Brightness perception experiments

Brightness perception experiments explore how our eyes and brain interpret the intensity of light in different contexts. Researchers present stimuli—like patches of color or light—under varying backgrounds or surrounding conditions to see how perceived brightness changes. Factors such as contrast, surrounding colors, and lighting conditions influence our perception, often making a surface appear brighter or dimmer than its actual luminance. These experiments help scientists understand visual processing mechanisms, revealing that perception is influenced not just by the physical properties of light, but also by contextual and cognitive factors.