Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

7.1K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
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,...
7.1K
Accessory Structures of the Eye01:17

Accessory Structures of the Eye

2.3K
Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...
2.3K
Muscles of the Eye01:20

Muscles of the Eye

2.5K
The muscles of the eye are sophisticated structures that control eye movement and focus, allowing for the precise and rapid adjustments necessary for vision. The human eye is controlled by ten muscles — six extraocular muscles, three intraocular muscles, and one primary eyelid retractor muscle.
Extraocular Muscles
The six extraocular muscles surround the eyeball and control its movements. They are responsible for a wide range of eye motions, including looking up, down, left, right, and...
2.5K
Facial Feedback Hypothesis01:24

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

335
Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role...
335
Depth Perception and Spatial Vision01:15

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

1.2K
Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.
1.2K
Focusing of Light in the Eye01:16

Focusing of Light in the Eye

3.6K
Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, a transparent dome-shaped tissue that is the eye's outermost layer. The cornea bends or refracts, light rays traveling to the pupil. The shape of the cornea determines how much of the light is bent and whether the image will be focused correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. Once the light has passed through both refraction layers, it converges into a single focal point onto a small area. This is where photoreceptors start transforming...
3.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distinct roles of central and peripheral vision in rapid scene understanding.

Journal of vision·2026
Same author

Learned foveal representations, not gaze-mediated information access, underlie perceptual advantages for canonical face configurations.

Journal of vision·2026
Same author

Relating the perceived useful field of view to visual search in 2D Images and 3D volumetric images.

Attention, perception & psychophysics·2026
Same author

Eye movements during free viewing to maximize scene understanding.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

The psychophysics of dynamic gaze-following saccades during search.

Journal of vision·2025
Same author

Emergent neuronal mechanisms mediating covert attention in convolutional neural networks.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 25, 2025

Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition
07:45

Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition

Published on: July 21, 2020

4.6K

Peripheral facial features guiding eye movements and reducing fixational variability.

Nicole X Han1,2, Puneeth N Chakravarthula1,3, Miguel P Eckstein1,4

  • 1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.

Journal of Vision
|August 4, 2021
PubMed
Summary

The eyes play a crucial role in guiding initial eye movements for face recognition. Their presence and position significantly impact fixation accuracy and overall face identification performance.

More Related Videos

Development of a Gaze-Contingent Display Framework Designed for Perceptual and Oculomotor Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss
07:12

Development of a Gaze-Contingent Display Framework Designed for Perceptual and Oculomotor Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

Published on: April 11, 2025

614
Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects
07:36

Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects

Published on: November 30, 2018

16.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 25, 2025

Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition
07:45

Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition

Published on: July 21, 2020

4.6K
Development of a Gaze-Contingent Display Framework Designed for Perceptual and Oculomotor Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss
07:12

Development of a Gaze-Contingent Display Framework Designed for Perceptual and Oculomotor Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

Published on: April 11, 2025

614
Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects
07:36

Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects

Published on: November 30, 2018

16.0K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Perception

Background:

  • Face processing is rapid and vital for social interaction.
  • Initial eye movements during face recognition are typically directed below the eyes.
  • The specific facial features guiding these initial fixations remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how facial features and their spatial arrangement influence initial eye movements (fixations) when viewing faces.
  • To determine the role of specific features, particularly the eyes, in guiding gaze and improving face recognition accuracy.

Main Methods:

  • Manipulated the presence and spatial configuration of facial features in peripherally presented faces.
  • Recorded the location and variability of first and second eye fixations.
  • Assessed face identification performance under different feature conditions.
  • Measured the detectability of individual facial features in the visual periphery.

Main Results:

  • Observers used face outlines, individual features, and spatial configurations to guide initial fixations.
  • The eyes were found to have a preferential role in guiding first fixations and reducing variability.
  • Removing or repositioning the eyes most significantly impacted fixation patterns and face identification.
  • Other internal features (nose, mouth) also contributed to reducing fixation variability.
  • Eyes demonstrated the highest detectability in the visual periphery.

Conclusions:

  • A flexible, multi-cue approach guides initial eye movements in face perception.
  • The eyes provide a strong sensory signal, crucial for directing gaze and enabling efficient face recognition.
  • This system offers a robust solution for navigating varying visual conditions and feature visibility in real-world scenarios.