Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2025
13:00
Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments
Published on: January 23, 2017
10.0K
Face inversion does not affect the reversed congruency effect of gaze.
Yoshihiko Tanaka1, Kenta Ishikawa2, Takato Oyama3
1Graduate School of Humanities, Senshu University, 2-1-1 Higashimita, Tama-Ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. yoshihikot@psy.senshu-u.ac.jp.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|October 28, 2022
Summary
Face inversion, which disrupts holistic face processing, did not alter the reversed congruency effect in a gaze spatial Stroop task. This suggests eye-gaze perception relies on part-based processing, not holistic face recognition.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
Background:
- The spatial Stroop task demonstrates a reversed congruency effect with eye-gaze targets, where incongruent gaze direction and location yield faster responses.
- Understanding the processing mechanisms (holistic vs. part-based) underlying this effect is crucial for visual perception research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether holistic face processing or part-based processing of eyes drives the reversed congruency effect in the gaze spatial Stroop task.
- To determine if face inversion, known to impair holistic face processing, influences the reversed congruency effect.
Main Methods:
- Participants performed a gaze spatial Stroop task with upright and inverted faces displaying neutral, angry, happy, or sad expressions.
- Response times and accuracy were measured to assess the impact of face orientation and expression on the reversed congruency effect.
Main Results:
- Face inversion significantly slowed overall performance, confirming its disruption of holistic face processing.
- Crucially, face inversion did not modulate the reversed congruency effect observed in the gaze spatial Stroop task.
Conclusions:
- The findings support a part-based processing account for the reversed congruency effect in eye-gaze perception.
- This suggests that while faces are generally processed holistically, the specific processing of eye-gaze direction for this task relies on local features (eyes).
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Facial Feedback Hypothesis
233
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...
233
01:13Nonconscious Mimicry
4.6K
Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.
4.6K
01:12Perceptual Constancy
495
Perceptual constancy is the ability to recognize that objects remain consistent and unchanged even when their appearance varies due to changes in sensory input. There are four main types of perceptual constancy: size constancy, shape constancy, color constancy, and brightness constancy.
Size constancy is the recognition that an object remains the same size, even when its image on the retina changes. For instance, a bus is perceived to be large enough to carry people, even if it looks tiny from...
Size constancy is the recognition that an object remains the same size, even when its image on the retina changes. For instance, a bus is perceived to be large enough to carry people, even if it looks tiny from...
495
01:28Lateralization
400
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
400
01:24Prosopagnosia
235
Prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, is the inability to recognize faces. In severe cases, individuals with prosopagnosia may not recognize close family members, including parents and spouses, by their faces. For instance, someone with prosopagnosia might walk past their child in a crowd, only realizing their mistake upon noticing their child's distinctive backpack or favorite jacket. Prosopagnosia specifically impairs facial recognition, while the recognition of other objects or...
235
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
5.9K
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,...
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,...
5.9K