Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findings
This research explores early Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) sensitivity to facial stimuli, investigating various facial features aimed to unveil underlying neural mechanisms. Two experiments, each involving 15 undergraduate students, utilized a multidimensional stimulus set incorporating race, gend...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1268972/full |
| _version_ | 1797649732633362432 |
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| author | Nicolas M. Brunet |
| author_facet | Nicolas M. Brunet |
| author_sort | Nicolas M. Brunet |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This research explores early Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) sensitivity to facial stimuli, investigating various facial features aimed to unveil underlying neural mechanisms. Two experiments, each involving 15 undergraduate students, utilized a multidimensional stimulus set incorporating race, gender, age, emotional expression, face masks, and stimulus orientation. Findings highlight significant modulations in N170 and P200 amplitudes and latencies for specific attributes, replicating prior research and revealing novel insights. Notably, age-related facial feature variations, facial inversion, and the presence of face masks significantly impact neural responses. Several speculative explanations are proposed to elucidate these results: First, the findings lend support to the idea that the increased N170 amplitude observed with facial inversion is closely tied to the activation of object-sensitive neurons. This is further bolstered by a similar amplitude increase noted when masks (effective objects) are added to faces. Second, the absence of an additional amplitude increase, when inverting face images with face masks suggests that neural populations may have reached a saturation point, limiting further enhancement. Third, the study reveals that the latency deficit in N170 induced by facial inversion is even more pronounced in the subsequent ERP component, the P200, indicating that face inversion may impact multiple stages of face processing. Lastly, the significant increase in P200 amplitude, typically associated with face typicality, for masked faces in this study aligns with previous research that demonstrated elevated P200 amplitudes for scrambled faces. This suggests that obscured faces may be processed as typical, potentially representing a default state in face processing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:51:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd577e75bf1f4c7196aa1490981d6df9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:51:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd577e75bf1f4c7196aa1490981d6df92023-10-26T02:23:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612023-10-011710.3389/fnhum.2023.12689721268972Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findingsNicolas M. BrunetThis research explores early Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) sensitivity to facial stimuli, investigating various facial features aimed to unveil underlying neural mechanisms. Two experiments, each involving 15 undergraduate students, utilized a multidimensional stimulus set incorporating race, gender, age, emotional expression, face masks, and stimulus orientation. Findings highlight significant modulations in N170 and P200 amplitudes and latencies for specific attributes, replicating prior research and revealing novel insights. Notably, age-related facial feature variations, facial inversion, and the presence of face masks significantly impact neural responses. Several speculative explanations are proposed to elucidate these results: First, the findings lend support to the idea that the increased N170 amplitude observed with facial inversion is closely tied to the activation of object-sensitive neurons. This is further bolstered by a similar amplitude increase noted when masks (effective objects) are added to faces. Second, the absence of an additional amplitude increase, when inverting face images with face masks suggests that neural populations may have reached a saturation point, limiting further enhancement. Third, the study reveals that the latency deficit in N170 induced by facial inversion is even more pronounced in the subsequent ERP component, the P200, indicating that face inversion may impact multiple stages of face processing. Lastly, the significant increase in P200 amplitude, typically associated with face typicality, for masked faces in this study aligns with previous research that demonstrated elevated P200 amplitudes for scrambled faces. This suggests that obscured faces may be processed as typical, potentially representing a default state in face processing.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1268972/fullERPEEGN170P200ageface inversion |
| spellingShingle | Nicolas M. Brunet Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findings Frontiers in Human Neuroscience ERP EEG N170 P200 age face inversion |
| title | Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findings |
| title_full | Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findings |
| title_fullStr | Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findings |
| title_short | Face processing and early event-related potentials: replications and novel findings |
| title_sort | face processing and early event related potentials replications and novel findings |
| topic | ERP EEG N170 P200 age face inversion |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1268972/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicolasmbrunet faceprocessingandearlyeventrelatedpotentialsreplicationsandnovelfindings |