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Subcortical regions of the human visual system do not process faces holistically
Rebeka C Almasi1, Marlene Behrmann1
1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Brain and Cognition
|May 2, 2021
Summary
Holistic face processing (HP) in humans, measured by the composite face effect (CFE), was investigated. Findings suggest HP may not rely on subcortical visual pathways, pointing towards cortical involvement.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Face perception is evolutionarily adaptive and conserved across species.
- Subcortical visual brain areas are known to be involved in basic face perception.
- The role of subcortical structures in complex face processing, like holistic processing (HP), remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether subcortical visual pathways contribute to holistic processing (HP) of faces in humans.
- To examine the composite face effect (CFE) and the alignment effect under different viewing conditions.
- To determine if HP is mediated by subcortical or cortical visual pathways.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the composite face effect (CFE) as a marker for holistic processing (HP).
- Presented sequential faces monocularly or interocularly using a Wheatstone stereoscope to adult human observers.
- Measured the ability to ignore task-irrelevant facial information in aligned and misaligned composite faces.
Main Results:
- Confirmed the presence of the HP effect and the alignment effect, key markers of the CFE.
- Observed a monocular advantage, consistent with subcortical contributions to face perception.
- Found no significant difference in the CFE between monocular and interocular presentation conditions.
Conclusions:
- Holistic face processing (HP) is not necessarily mediated by the subcortical visual pathway.
- Cortical structures, rather than subcortical ones, may be more critical for understanding HP.
- Further research should focus on cortical mechanisms underlying holistic face processing.
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