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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome

Published on: July 31, 2016

Why does selective attention to parts fail in face processing?

Jennifer J Richler¹, James W Tanaka, Danielle D Brown

¹Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Wilson Hall, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. jennifer.j.richler@vanderbilt.edu

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition

|November 5, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Holistic face processing involves integrating face parts, not just focusing on one. This study reveals an attention-dependent mechanism for integrating spatially separated face parts, challenging current theories.

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Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome

Published on: July 31, 2016

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Published on: January 23, 2017

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Visual Perception

Background:

Holistic face processing is characterized by an inability to selectively attend to individual face parts.
Existing theories focus on perceptual or decisional accounts of this phenomenon.

Purpose of the Study:

To test perceptual versus decisional accounts of holistic face processing.
To investigate the influence of spatial configuration on holistic processing at study and test phases.
To explore the role of attention in integrating spatially separated face parts.

Main Methods:

Three sequential matching experiments were conducted.
Congruency effects between cued and uncued composite face halves were measured.
Face halves were presented in spatially aligned, misaligned, or adjacent configurations.

Main Results:

Congruency effects were observed for aligned, misaligned, and adjacent configurations at study.
Congruency effects diminished with misalignment and were abolished with adjacent configurations at test.
Equating encoding demands revealed study configuration effects, supporting a perceptual influence.

Conclusions:

Current perceptual and decisional accounts do not fully explain the findings.
Results suggest an attention-dependent mechanism integrates spatially separated face parts.
Manipulations at test significantly impact holistic processing more than at study.