Face age modulates face ensemble coding

Research has demonstrated that humans possess the remarkable ability to swiftly extract ensemble statistics, specifically the average identity, from sets of stimuli, such as facial crowds. This phenomenon is known as ensemble perception. Although previous studies have investigated how physiognomic features like gender and race influence face ensemble perception, the impact of face age on face ensemble coding performance remains a relatively unexplored area. Here, we demonstrated ensemble coding of multiple faces in terms of an average face was impacted by face age. In both Experiment 1 and 2, adult participants viewed sets of four faces that were of either own-age or other-age and then judged whether the subsequently presented probe face was present or not in the preceding set. The other-age faces were manipulated as older faces in Experiment 1 and baby faces in Experiment 2. The results suggested participants incorrectly endorsed a morphed set average to be the member of the set, pointing to face ensemble coding ability. Furthermore, the results of Experiment 1 revealed adult participants displayed an own-age superiority when other-age faces were manipulated as older faces, however, the results of Experiment 2 found when other-age faces were manipulated as baby faces, participants displayed stronger visual averaging tendency towards other-age faces rather own-age faces, showing a babyface effect. Together, the present research provided initial evidence that face ensemble coding performance was modulated by face age.