When you look into a room illuminated by fluorescent lights, the white walls appear to you to be white. However, if you take a photograph of that room the walls are likely to have a greenish tint. This is because ________.
A) your perception of the room is adjusted by color constancy
B) the film in the camera is adjusted by color constancy
C) most photographic films show white as having a greenish tint
D) your perception of the room is not affected by fluorescent lighting

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Your perception of the room is adjusted by color constancy. Color constancy is the ability of the visual system to perceive the color of an object as consistent despite changes in lighting conditions. The walls look white to you because your brain is able to adjust for the greenish tint caused by the fluorescent lighting. However, a photograph is not able to adjust for color constancy and therefore captures the greenish tint of the lighting.

When You Look into a Room Illuminated by Fluorescent Lights