What does the Thompson effect illustrate in visual perception?

The Thompson effect specifically illustrates how the presence of a moving background can influence the perception of stationary objects. This phenomenon occurs when an observer perceives stationary objects as shifting in position as the background moves past them. The visual system uses cues from the movement of the background to help interpret spatial relations, often leading to the impression that the objects themselves are shifting rather than the background.

This effect demonstrates the complexity of visual perception, emphasizing that our visual system integrates motion and depth cues to create a coherent representation of the environment. As a result, while the objects remain stationary, the movement of the background creates conflicting information that the brain interprets as a change in the position of those objects, enhancing our understanding of how we perceive motion and stability in a dynamic visual field.