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The left-side bias is not unique to own-race face processing
Chenglin Li1,2, Zhiguo Wang3, Hui Bao1
1Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321001, China.
Attention, Perception & Psychophysics
|February 25, 2021
Summary
The human brain shows a left-side bias in face processing, recognizing faces better when the left side is used. This bias applies universally across different races, indicating a general visual expertise.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Humans exhibit a consistent left-side bias in facial recognition tasks.
- Previous research primarily focused on own-race faces, leaving the universality of this bias uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether the left-side bias in face processing is race-specific or a universal visual expertise.
- To examine the left-side bias using both own-race (Chinese) and other-race (Caucasian) faces.
Main Methods:
- A chimeric face-identification task was administered to 105 Chinese students.
- Two versions of the task were used to assess face perception with different racial groups.
Main Results:
- A significant left-side bias was observed for both own-race (Chinese) and other-race (Caucasian) faces.
- Participants consistently rated chimeric faces with a left-side composite as more representative.
Conclusions:
- The left-side bias in face processing is not limited to own-race faces.
- This finding suggests that the left-side bias reflects a universal visual expertise in how humans process faces.
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