The effect of luminance values of the edge between regions on figure-ground perception.

Abstract

The present study examined whether luminance values of an edge between regions affect figure-ground perception. A dark-gray or light-gray region was presented on the left (or upper) or right (or lower) side of an edge. Observers reported which region was perceived as a figure. The results in the 0.2° edge width condition showed that dark-gray regions with low luminance edges were perceived as a figure significantly more often than dark-gray regions with high luminance edges. The edge luminance effect occurred, partly occurred, and did not occur when the edge widths were 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8° of visual angle, respectively. These results showed that luminance values of the edge between the regions affected figure-ground perception, and that regions with luminance values closer to that of the edge between the regions were perceived as a figure more often, but only when the edge width was narrow. The edge luminance effect occurred less often as the edge width was increased and would be attributed to similarity grouping between edge and region.