Investigating the impact of motion visual synchrony on self face recognition using real time morphing

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Computer Vision

Background:

• Self-face recognition is fundamental to self-perception and social interaction.
• Prior research primarily used static images to define the boundaries of self-face recognition.
• The role of dynamic facial movements and motor-visual synchrony in self-face recognition remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of dynamic facial movements on the boundaries of self-face recognition.
• To compare self-face recognition under conditions of synchronous, asynchronous, and static facial movements.
• To introduce novel video processing techniques for real-time facial identity morphing during movement.

Main Methods:

• Validated morphing face metrics specifically for self-face recognition tasks.
• Employed advanced video processing for real-time face identity morphing during natural facial movements.
• Conducted an experimental design with three conditions: synchronous, asynchronous, and static facial movements.

Main Results:

• Participants exhibited a significantly narrower self-face boundary when recognizing moving faces compared to static faces.
• No significant difference was found in self-face recognition boundaries between synchronous and asynchronous facial movements.
• The direction of facial morphing consistently influenced the perceived self-face boundary.

Conclusions:

• Motor information from facial movements is crucial for self-face recognition, but does not depend on synchronization.
• The sense of agency over facial movements does not alter facial identity judgment.
• The developed methodology enables a nuanced examination of the 'self-face boundary in action', separating motion and identity effects.