<p>Consider I have a few references from white to yellowish, and I look at them in 2 different lights: a cool-coloured light (white/~6500k) and a warm-coloured light (yellow/~3500k). Firstly, intuitively, I thought that I will perceive the whiter ones to be yellower in yellow light, but I don't -- in fact, it's the opposite: I see the yellower ones whiter in yellow light.</p>

<p>What does it mean? Does it mean that the colour constancy mechanisms of humans notices there's a yellow light and tries to adjust the brain such that I perceive yellowish stuff as white? If so, how come the ones that are intrinsically yellowish are still perceived as white? Does the colour constancy mechanism overestimates how much to correct?</p>

<perception><color><psychophysics>
Does color constancy overestimate?
confused00
# Does color constancy overestimate?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-16)

Consider I have a few references from white to yellowish, and I look at them in 2 different lights: a cool-coloured light (white/~6500k) and a warm-coloured light (yellow/~3500k). Firstly, intuitively, I thought that I will perceive the whiter ones to be yellower in yellow light, but I don't -- in fact, it's the opposite: I see the yellower ones whiter in yellow light.

What does it mean? Does it mean that the colour constancy mechanisms of humans notices there's a yellow light and tries to adjust the brain such that I perceive yellowish stuff as white? If so, how come the ones that are intrinsically yellowish are still perceived as white? Does the colour constancy mechanism overestimates how much to correct?

**Tags:** perception, color, psychophysics


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