Influence of the illuminance and spectral composition of surround fields on spatially induced blackness

The influence of the illuminance and spectral composition of monochromatic surround fields on spatially induced blackness was investigated. The amount of induced blackness in a white 50′ central field was measured as a function of the illuminance of monochromatic 64′–120′ surround fields with a color-naming method. The function relating induced blackness to log surround illuminance was described by either the logistic function or the Weibull function. Action spectra for blackness were determined from those functions and were also measured directly with the method of adjustment. These action spectra indicated that blackness induction was determined only by the illuminance of the surround, regardless of the blackness level at the criteria and the wavelength of the surround. It was concluded that there is no chromatic contribution from the chromatic surround to blackness induction.