The ability to identify faces is of critical importance for normal social interactions. Previous evidence suggests that early visual deprivation may impair certain aspects of face recognition. The effects of strabismic amblyopia on face processing have not been investigated previously. In this study, a group of individuals with amblyopia were administered two tasks known to selectively measure face detection based on a Gestalt representation of a face (Mooney faces task) and featural and relational processing of faces (Jane faces task). Our data show that--when relying on their amblyopic eye only - strabismic amblyopes perform as well as normally sighted individuals in face detection and recognition on the basis of their single features. However, they are significantly impaired in discriminating among different faces on the basis of the spacing of their single features (i.e., configural processing of relational information). Our findings are the first to demonstrate that strabismic amblyopia may cause specific deficits in face recognition, and add to previous reports characterizing visual perceptual deficits associated in amblyopia as high-level and not only as low-level processing.

Cattaneo, Z., Vecchi, T., Monegato, M., Pece, A., Merabet, L., Carbon, C. (2013). Strabismic amblyopia affects relational but not featural and Gestalt processing of faces. VISION RESEARCH, 80(22 March 2013), 19-30 [10.1016/j.visres.2013.01.007].

Strabismic amblyopia affects relational but not featural and Gestalt processing of faces

CATTANEO, ZAIRA
;
2013

Abstract

The ability to identify faces is of critical importance for normal social interactions. Previous evidence suggests that early visual deprivation may impair certain aspects of face recognition. The effects of strabismic amblyopia on face processing have not been investigated previously. In this study, a group of individuals with amblyopia were administered two tasks known to selectively measure face detection based on a Gestalt representation of a face (Mooney faces task) and featural and relational processing of faces (Jane faces task). Our data show that--when relying on their amblyopic eye only - strabismic amblyopes perform as well as normally sighted individuals in face detection and recognition on the basis of their single features. However, they are significantly impaired in discriminating among different faces on the basis of the spacing of their single features (i.e., configural processing of relational information). Our findings are the first to demonstrate that strabismic amblyopia may cause specific deficits in face recognition, and add to previous reports characterizing visual perceptual deficits associated in amblyopia as high-level and not only as low-level processing.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Young Adult; Analysis of Variance; Humans; Strabismus; Amblyopia; Recognition (Psychology); Discrimination (Psychology); Pattern Recognition, Visual; Adult; Middle Aged; Face; Female; Male;
English
2013
80
22 March 2013
19
30
reserved
Cattaneo, Z., Vecchi, T., Monegato, M., Pece, A., Merabet, L., Carbon, C. (2013). Strabismic amblyopia affects relational but not featural and Gestalt processing of faces. VISION RESEARCH, 80(22 March 2013), 19-30 [10.1016/j.visres.2013.01.007].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/49479
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