Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome
Published on: July 31, 2016
Brain activity underlying face and face pareidolia processing: an ERP study
1Department of Neuroscience, Department of Biophysics, Electroneurophysiology Laboratory, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Medicine Faculty, and Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. gakdeniz@ybu.edu.tr.
Background And Purpose:
Face pareidolia is described as an interpretation of any unrelated object seen for the first time as a face. It is still unclear how to face pareidolia is processed. In this study, the neural basis of face and face pareidolia processing was investigated through recording event-related potentials (ERPs).
Methods:
The ERPs were recorded from 35 right-handed and healthy participants in response to faces and face pareidolia. Amplitudes and latencies of N170, vertex-positive potential (VPP), and N250 components were analyzed, and current source density (CSD) maps relevant to these components were obtained.
Results:
N170 response was earlier and larger in response to faces compared to face pareidolias. VPP is also evoked earlier in response to faces as in the case of N170; however, the VPP amplitude was larger for face pareidolias than for faces. Statistical analyses did not reveal any differences between faces and face pareidolias in terms of N250 component.
Conclusion:
The results indicated that faces and face pareidolias are processed in the early stages of visual perception. In addition, the N250 component does not reflect the neural processing of faces and face pareidolias.
Related Concept Videos
Association Areas of the Cortex
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prosopagnosia
Parallel Processing
Facial Feedback Hypothesis

