The Chubb illusion is based on the perception of brightness and can be observed when a small bright patch is surrounded by a larger dark area, the small bright patch will appear brighter than the same patch surrounded by a bright area.
This illusion is thought to be related to how the human visual system processes contrast and brightness in an image.
The center area of the two images below are exactly the same, but appear different because the background is different.
Table of Contents
- How does the Chubb illusion work?
- Versions of the Chubb illusion
- Illusions like the Chubb illusion
- Discovery of the Chubb illusion
- References and Resources
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How does the Chubb Illusion work?
The Chubb illusion works by creating a contrast effect between a small bright patch and the surrounding area. The perception of brightness is not solely determined by the absolute luminance of an object, but also by the relative luminance of the surrounding area. When a small bright patch is surrounded by a larger dark area, the small bright patch will appear brighter than it actually is, because our eyes perceive the contrast between the bright patch and the dark background to be greater.
The Chubb illusion works by manipulating the relative luminance of the surrounding area in a way that influences how our visual system perceives the brightness of the central patch. This effect is thought to be related to the way our visual system processes contrast and brightness in an image, and it is influenced by factors such as the size, shape and color of the surrounding area.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Chubb Illusion is a part of the family of the Contrast illusions, which are based on the perception of relative luminance. The Hermann Grid illusion and the scintillating grid illusion are examples of other contrast illusions.
Versions of the Chubb Illusion
The following is an alternate version of the Chubb Illusion:
Illusions like the Chubb Illusion
Color illusions work by exploiting the way that the human visual system processes color and light. The human eye is able to detect light in the visible spectrum, which consists of different wavelengths of light that correspond to different colors. The brain then interprets this information to create our perception of color. However, the way the brain perceives color is not always a perfect representation of the physical reality.
There are several factors that can influence the way that the visual system processes color and light, which can lead to the perception of illusions. These factors include:
Contrast: The way that the brain perceives color can be influenced by the surrounding colors and patterns. High-contrast borders around an area of color can cause the brain to interpret the color as spreading or “bleeding” beyond the actual boundaries of the object.
Lighting conditions: The way that the brain perceives color can also be affected by the lighting conditions. For example, when an object is viewed in bright light, the eye’s color receptors may become fatigued, causing the brain to perceive colors differently than they actually are.
Color adaptation: The brain adapts to the colors that we see over time, which can influence the perception of color. For example, if an individual looks at a red object for an extended period of time, the brain will adapt to the red, and when that person looks at a white object, it will appear to have a pinkish hue.
Color constancy: The brain is able to adjust the perception of color based on the context in which it is viewed. This can create illusions where the same color appears to be different depending on the surrounding colors.
Shape use: Some illusions like the Hermann grid illusion or the Cafe Wall illusion, use specific patterns and shapes to manipulate the perception of color and shape.
Some related illusions include the following:
The simultaneous contrast illusion is a visual effect that occurs when the perception of a color is affected by the colors of the surrounding area.
The illusion creates the appearance of a change in the color of an object, even though the actual color of the object remains constant.
The Neon Color Spreading illusion refers to the visual phenomenon where an area of color appears to spread or “bleed” beyond its intended boundaries.
The Bezold Effect: This illusion is created by placing two or more colors next to each other, and the way they appear to change when they are close to one another.
The Mach Band Illusion: This illusion is created by the way the brain perceives edges of an object. When an object has a gradient of color, the edges of the object appear to be darker or lighter than they actually are.
The Chevreul Illusion: This illusion is created by the way the brain perceives edges of an object. When the edges of an object are surrounded by a contrasting color, the edges appear to be a different color than they actually are. Chevreul’s illusion is similar to Mach bands, but they work in different ways. Chevreul’s illusion is an effect on the perception of hue, while Mach bands is an effect on the perception of brightness.
The Hermann Grid Illusion: This illusion is created by the way the brain perceives intersections of lines. When the intersections of a grid of lines are viewed, small gray dots appear at the intersections, even though they are not actually there.
The Watercolor Illusion: This illusion is created by the way the brain perceives edges of an object. When an object is surrounded by a colored halo, the object appears to have a different color than it actually does.
The Ishihara Illusion: This illusion is created by the way the brain perceives colors. When a color is surrounded by a contrasting color, the brain perceives the color to be different than it actually is.
The flash lag illusion is a visual illusion that is based on the perception of the temporal relationship between a moving object and a flash of light. The illusion occurs when a moving object is followed by a sudden flash of light, and the perceived location of the flash appears to be behind the actual location of the object.
The Café Wall Illusion is a visual illusion that is created by a grid of alternating light and dark horizontal and vertical lines. The lines appear to be bent or tilted, even though they are actually straight.
Discovery of the Chubb Illusion
The Chubb illusion” was discovered by the psychologist John Chubb in 1990.
John Chubb was a British psychologist who was best known for his research in the field of visual perception. He was a lecturer at University College London and later a professor at the University of Sussex. He conducted many experiments on visual perception and published several papers and articles on the topic.
One of his most notable contributions is the discovery of the Chubb illusion, a visual illusion that demonstrates how the perception of brightness is influenced by the relative luminance of the surrounding area. He also worked on other areas of research such as motion perception, attention and visual search.
Chubb passed away in 2010, His work continues to be cited and referenced by other researchers in the field of visual perception and cognitive psychology.
References and Resources
Check out our complete list of illusions.