Recent behavioural work suggests that newborn face preferences are derived from a general, non-specific attentional bias toward patterns with more features in the upper versus lower half. In the current study we predicted that selectivity for the specific geometry of the face may emerge during the first 3 months of life as a product of perceptual narrowing, leading to the construction of the first broadly defined face category segregating faces from other visual objects which may share with faces one or more visual properties. This was investigated behaviourally, using a standard preferential looking paradigm, and electrophysiologically, using high-density ERPs. Behavioural results indicated that, at 3 months, the top-heavy property is no longer a crucial factor in determining face preferences. ERP results showed evidence of differentiation between the two stimuli only for the N700. No differentiation was found for earlier components that are thought to reflect the adult-like structural encoding stage of face processing in infants (N290 and P400). Together, ERP and behavioural results suggest that, by 3 months, the perceptual narrowing process has led to a behavioural response specific to the geometry of the human face, but that this response is not purely perceptual in nature. Rather, it seems related to the acquired salience of this stimulus category, which may reflect the high degree of familiarity and/or the social value faces have gained over the infants' first 3 months of life

MACCHI CASSIA, V., Kuefner, D., Westerlund, A., Nelson, C. (2006). A behavioral and ERP investigation of 3-month-olds' face preferences. NEUROPSYCHOLOGIA, 44(11), 2113-2125 [10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.11.014].

A behavioral and ERP investigation of 3-month-olds' face preferences

MACCHI CASSIA, VIOLA MARINA;
2006

Abstract

Recent behavioural work suggests that newborn face preferences are derived from a general, non-specific attentional bias toward patterns with more features in the upper versus lower half. In the current study we predicted that selectivity for the specific geometry of the face may emerge during the first 3 months of life as a product of perceptual narrowing, leading to the construction of the first broadly defined face category segregating faces from other visual objects which may share with faces one or more visual properties. This was investigated behaviourally, using a standard preferential looking paradigm, and electrophysiologically, using high-density ERPs. Behavioural results indicated that, at 3 months, the top-heavy property is no longer a crucial factor in determining face preferences. ERP results showed evidence of differentiation between the two stimuli only for the N700. No differentiation was found for earlier components that are thought to reflect the adult-like structural encoding stage of face processing in infants (N290 and P400). Together, ERP and behavioural results suggest that, by 3 months, the perceptual narrowing process has led to a behavioural response specific to the geometry of the human face, but that this response is not purely perceptual in nature. Rather, it seems related to the acquired salience of this stimulus category, which may reflect the high degree of familiarity and/or the social value faces have gained over the infants' first 3 months of life
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
infants, face processing, perceptual narrowing, visual preference, ERPs
English
2006
44
11
2113
2125
none
MACCHI CASSIA, V., Kuefner, D., Westerlund, A., Nelson, C. (2006). A behavioral and ERP investigation of 3-month-olds' face preferences. NEUROPSYCHOLOGIA, 44(11), 2113-2125 [10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.11.014].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/914
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