Ambiguities in Colour Constancy and Shape from Shading

Abstract

A new visual phenomenon—called the AMBEGUJAS phenomenon—is presented, together with some descriptive data from two initial exploratory experiments. The phenomenon is basically one of shape from shading, but ambiguous as to both shape and colour. There are two spontaneously alternating and mutually exclusive perceived 3-D shapes, and—as the most surprising observation—the colour impressions of these two shapes are markedly different. The stimulus situation is very simple with two differently coloured illuminations (with sharp edges) adjacently cast onto a flat, grey striped surface. In one 3-D shape almost the whole chromatic content disappears, and the surface goes towards its veridically grey colour. In the other the perceived object assumes the two illumination colours as clear surface colours. The decolorised percept is interpreted as a striking example of colour constancy: a perceptual solution with the classical ‘discounting of the illuminant’. Experiments show that the phenomenon is robust and appears in varying display layouts and different combinations of chromatic illuminations.