Skip to main content

Mach Band Phenomena

  • Chapter
Visual Psychophysics

Part of the book series: Handbook of Sensory Physiology ((1536,volume 7 / 4))

Abstract

The Mach bands are bright or dark lines that are perceived near the boundary between a brightly illuminated region and a dimly illuminated region of the visual field (Fig. 1). The bands are a subjective contrast effect: they seem brighter or darker than their surroundings, although the physical distribution of light does not show any positive or negative peaks at the points where the bands are perceived.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aulhorn, E., Harms, H.: Untersuchungen über das Wesen des Grenzkontrastes. Ber. dtsch. Ophthal. Ges. Heidelberg 1956.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, H. B., Fitzhugh, R., Kuffler, S. W.: Change of organization in the receptive fields of the cat’s retina during dark adaptation. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 137, 338–354 (1957).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Békésy, G. von: Neural inhibitory units of the eye and skin. Quantitative description of contrast phenomena. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 50, 1060–1070 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Békésy, G. von: Mach band type lateral inhibition in different sense organs. J. gen. Physiol. 50, 519–532 (1967a).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Békésy, G. von: Sensory Inhibition. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press 1967b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Békésy, G. von: Brightness distribution across the Mach bands measured with flicker photometry, and the linearity of sensory nervous interaction. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 58, 1–8 (1968 a).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Békésy, G. von: Mach- and Hering-type lateral inhibition in vision. Vision Res. 8, 1483–1499 (1968b).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergström, S. S.: A paradox in the perception of luminance gradients. I. Scand. J. Psychol. 7, 209–224 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bitttni, M., Ercoles, A. M., Fiorentini, A., Ronchi, L., Toraldo di Francia, G.: Enhanced contrast of an indefinitely contoured object by movement or intermittent illumination. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 15, 62–84 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryngdahl, O.: Visual transfer characteristics from Mach band measurements. Kybernetik 2, 71–77 (1964).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burkhardt, D. A.: Brightness and the increment threshold. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 56, 979–981 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burnham, R. W., Jackson, J. E.: Mach rings verified by numerical differentiation. Science 122, 951–953 (1955).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Charman, W. N., Watrasiewicz, B. M.: Mach effect associated with microscope images. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 54, 791–795 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daw, N. W.: Visual response to gradients of varying colour and equal luminance. Nature (Lond.) 203, 215–216 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Enroth-Cugell, C., Robson, J. G.: The contrast sensitivity of retinal ganglion cells of the cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 187, 517–552 (1966).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ercoles-Guzzoni, A. M., Fiorenttni, A.: Simultaneous contrast effect produced by non uniform colored fields. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 13, 135–144 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ercoles, A. M., Fiorentini, A.: Visibility of the Mach bands as a function of field luminance. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 14, 230–235 (1959).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorenttnt, A.: Foveal and extrafoveal contrast threshold at a point of a non-uniform field. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 12, 180–186 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorenttnt, A., Ercoles, A. M.: Vision of oscillating non-uniform fields. Optica Acta 4, 150–157 (1957).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiorenttnt, A., Jeanne, M., Toraldo di Francia, G.: Measurements of differential threshold in the presence of a spatial illumination gradient. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 10, 371–379 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorenttnt, A., Radici, T.: Binocular measurements of brightness on a field presenting a luminance gradient. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 12, 453–461 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorenttnt, A., Radici, T.: Brightness, width and position of Mach bands as a function of the rate of variation of the luminance gradient. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 13, 145–155 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorenttnt, A., Zou, M. T.: Detection of a target superimposed to a step pattern of illumination. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 21, 338–356 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorenttnt, A., Zou, M. T.: Detection of a target superimposed to a step pattern of illumination. II: Effects of a just-perceptible illumination step. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 22, 207–217 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, G. A.: Mechanisms subserving simultaneous brightness contrast. Amer. J. Optom. and Arch. Amer. Acad. Optom. 25, 162–178 (1948).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harms, H., Aulhorn, E.: Studien über den Grenzkontrast. I. Mitteilung. Ein neues Grenzphänomen. Gräfes Arch. Ophthal. 157, 3–23 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hartwig, E.: Modelluntersuchungen zur qualitativen Erfassung von physiologischen Kontrastfehlern. Optik 15, 414–421 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  • Horst, G. J. C. van der, Bouman, M. A.: On searching for Mach band type phenomena in colour vision. Vision Res. 7, 1027–1029 (1967).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, J. Z., MacKinnon, G.E.: Coloured Mach bands. Canad. J. Psychol. 23, 56–65 (1969).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koffka, K., Harrower, M. R.: Colour and organization. Psychol. Forsch. 15, 146–275 (1931).

    Google Scholar 

  • Land, E. H.: In: Report on O.S.A. Technical groups. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 58, 441 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry, E. M., DePalma, J. J.: Sine-wave response of the visual system I. The Mach phenomenon. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 51, 740–746 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ludvigh, E.: The perception of contours I. Introduction. Joint Project Report Number 4, U.S. Naval School of Aviation Medicine, Pensacola, Fla. 1953.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach, E.: Ãœber die Wirkung der räumlichen Vertheilung des Lichtreizes auf die Netzhaut. I. S.-B. Akad. Wiss. Wien, math.-nat. Kl. 52, 303–322 (1865).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach, E.: Ãœber den Physiologischen Effect räumlich vertheilter Lichtreize. IL S.-B. Akad. Wiss. Wien, math.-nat. Kl. 54, 131–144 (1866a).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach, E.: Ãœber die physiologische Wirkung räumlich vertheilter Lichtreize. III. S.-B. Akad. Wiss. Wien, math.-nat. Kl. 54, 393–408 (1866b).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach, E.: Ãœber die physiologische Wirkung räumlich vertheilter Lichtreize. IV. S.-B. Akad. Wiss. Wien, math.-nat. Kl. 57, 11–19 (1868a).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach, E.: Ãœber die Abhängigkeit der Netzhautstellen voneinander. Viertel Jahresschrift für Psychiatrie 2, 38–51 (1868b).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach, E.: Ãœber den Einfluß räumlich und zeitlich variierender Lichtreize auf die Gesichts Wahrnehmung. S.-B. Akad. Wiss. Wien, math.-nat. Kl. 115, 633–648 (1906).

    Google Scholar 

  • Marimont, R. B.: Linearity and the Mach phenomenon. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 53, 400–401 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews, M. L.: Appearance of Mach bands for short durations and at sharply focused contours. J. opt, Soc. Amer. 50, 1401–1402 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • McCollough, C.: The variation in width and position of Mach bands as a function of luminance. J. exp. Psychol. 49, 141–152 (1955).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McDougall, W.: Intensification of visual sensation by smoothly gradual contrast, Proc. Physiol. Soc. 1, 19–21 (1903).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nachmlas, J.: Effect of exposure duration on visual contrast sensitivity with square-wave gratings. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 57, 421–427 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Novak, S., Sperling, G.: Visual thresholds near a continuously or a briefly presented light-dark boundary. Optica Acta 10, 187–191 (1963).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien, V.: Contour perception, illusion and reality. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 48, 112–119 (1958).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ratliff, F.: Mach Bands: Quantitative Studies on Neural Networks in the Retina. San Francisco: Holden-Day 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratliff, F., Hartline, H. K.: The response of Limulus optic nerve fibers to patterns of illumination on the receptor mosaic. J. gen. Physiol. 42, 1241–1255 (1959).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riggs, L. A., Ratliff, F., Keesey, U. T.: Appearance of Mach bands with a motionless retinal image. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 51, 702–703 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ronchi, L.: Quantitative aspects of the blur-to-sharp transition. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 17, 646–670 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ronchi, L., Ercoles, A. M.: Adaptational effects at photopic and mesopic luminances as a function of contrast. Atti Fond. G. Ronchi 17, 185–196 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schober, H. A. W., Hilz, R.: Contrast sensitivity of the human eye for square-wave gratings. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 55, 1086–1091 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J. P.: Threshold measurements of Mach bands. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 55, 521–524 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J. P.: Brightness variations in stimuli with ramp-like contours. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 56, 238–242 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thouless, R. M.: Some observations on contrast effects in graded discs. Brit. J. Psychol. 13, 301–307 (1922).

    Google Scholar 

  • Watrasiewicz, B. M.: Measurements of the Mach effect in microscopy. Optica Acta 10, 209–216 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watrasiewicz, B. M.: Some factors affecting the appearance of the Mach bands. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 56, 499–503 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Westheimer, G.: Spatial interaction in the human retina during scotopic vision. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 181, 881–894 (1965).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Westheimer, G.: Spatial interaction in human cone vision. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 190, 139–154 (1967).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1972 Springer-Verlag, Berlin · Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Fiorentini, A. (1972). Mach Band Phenomena. In: Jameson, D., Hurvich, L.M. (eds) Visual Psychophysics. Handbook of Sensory Physiology, vol 7 / 4. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-88658-4_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-88658-4_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-88660-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-88658-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics