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Abstract

A test was conducted of Bartley's hypothesis that the dominant cortical alpha rhythm is the mediating mechanism for brightness enhancement phenomena. Alpha rhythm samples were obtained periodically on 17 Ss while they adjusted the luminance of a steady light to match the apparent luminance of a flickering light presented in all combinations of 20 flicker frequencies ranging from 3.5 to 13 cps and three light-time fractions (LTFs). Correlational analysis of the alpha values paired with the flicker frequencies at which peak brightness settings occurred showed no significant relationships either in individual alpha-LTF comparisons or in the over-all correspondence of alpha to the brightness data. Thus, Bartley's hypothesis was not supported by the results of this study.

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Correspondence of Brightness Enhancement to Cortical Alpha Rhythm

Abstract

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