Human color constancy in cast shadows

Illumination conditions inside and outside cast shadows typically differ significantly in both intensity and in chromaticity. However, our daily experiences suggest that we generally have no difficulty in stably perceiving surface color in cast shadows. In this study, two experiments were conducted...

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Main Authors: Takuma Morimoto, Masayuki Sato, Shoji Sunaga, Keiji Uchikawa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-07-01
Series:i-Perception
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695251349737
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author Takuma Morimoto
Masayuki Sato
Shoji Sunaga
Keiji Uchikawa
author_facet Takuma Morimoto
Masayuki Sato
Shoji Sunaga
Keiji Uchikawa
author_sort Takuma Morimoto
collection DOAJ
description Illumination conditions inside and outside cast shadows typically differ significantly in both intensity and in chromaticity. However, our daily experiences suggest that we generally have no difficulty in stably perceiving surface color in cast shadows. In this study, two experiments were conducted to measure the extent to which color constancy holds within cast shadows. We constructed a scene with colored hexagons illuminated by two projectors simulating “sunlight” and “skylight.” Part of the scene included a cast shadow, illuminated only by the skylight, where a subjective white point was measured. We also created a condition in which a cast shadow was not perceived as a shadow. Results showed that color constancy generally holds well in shadows, and the color of skylight had varying effects depending on observers. Perceiving a cast shadow as a shadow had no effect. Overall, these findings are consistent with our daily experiences, in which we stably judge objects’ color even within cast shadows.
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series i-Perception
spelling doaj-art-0ac5237e50d441f2a283c3ddd99805f22025-08-20T03:11:52ZengSAGE Publishingi-Perception2041-66952025-07-011610.1177/20416695251349737Human color constancy in cast shadowsTakuma MorimotoMasayuki SatoShoji SunagaKeiji UchikawaIllumination conditions inside and outside cast shadows typically differ significantly in both intensity and in chromaticity. However, our daily experiences suggest that we generally have no difficulty in stably perceiving surface color in cast shadows. In this study, two experiments were conducted to measure the extent to which color constancy holds within cast shadows. We constructed a scene with colored hexagons illuminated by two projectors simulating “sunlight” and “skylight.” Part of the scene included a cast shadow, illuminated only by the skylight, where a subjective white point was measured. We also created a condition in which a cast shadow was not perceived as a shadow. Results showed that color constancy generally holds well in shadows, and the color of skylight had varying effects depending on observers. Perceiving a cast shadow as a shadow had no effect. Overall, these findings are consistent with our daily experiences, in which we stably judge objects’ color even within cast shadows.https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695251349737
spellingShingle Takuma Morimoto
Masayuki Sato
Shoji Sunaga
Keiji Uchikawa
Human color constancy in cast shadows
i-Perception
title Human color constancy in cast shadows
title_full Human color constancy in cast shadows
title_fullStr Human color constancy in cast shadows
title_full_unstemmed Human color constancy in cast shadows
title_short Human color constancy in cast shadows
title_sort human color constancy in cast shadows
url https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695251349737
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AT masayukisato humancolorconstancyincastshadows
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