White's Illusion
Context is everything. See why these identical gray bars refuse to look the same.
🧐 What do you see?▼
Look at the vertical gray bars embedded in the horizontal stripes. The bars on the left (mostly situated on black stripes) appear lighter. The bars on the right (mostly situated on white stripes) appear darker.
Unbelievably, both sets of gray bars are the EXACT same color (#888).
🧠 Why this works▼
This is White's Illusion, and it's famous because it contradicts simple "Simultaneous Contrast." Normally, a black background makes things look lighter. But here, the gray bars on the left *interrupt* the black stripes, yet they look lighter!
This suggests that Belongingness is more important than simple contrast. Your brain decides that the gray bars "belong" to the stripes they are embedded in. It uses a higher-level logic of "perceptual grouping" which overrides the local light signals from the retina.
🧪 Try variations▼
- Vary Intensity: This changes the height of the bars. Notice how the effect remains stable even as the bars get thinner or thicker.
- Verify: Stare at the central text and try to squint. Sometimes reducing the detail helps you see the actual color more clearly.
❓ FAQ▼
Is this related to Munker-White?
Yes, it's a specific monochrome case of the Munker-White effect. It proves that the "color bleed" we see in color assimilation also happens with pure lightness.