The Influence of Image Exposure Duration on Facial Perception-Why It Matters.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Facial first impressions, crucial for evolutionary adaptation, are influenced by age and gender.
• Understanding gaze patterns during face perception is vital for aesthetic assessments and medical procedures.
• Facial gaze analysis during brief (1-second) and extended (8-second) exposures offers insights into key facial areas and behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if facial perception differs based on gaze duration.
• To analyze how viewing time impacts attention allocation to specific facial regions.

Main Methods:

• Eye-tracking technology was used to record fixations of 55 observers on four facial images (young/old male/female).
• Stimuli were presented twice in a randomized order with exposure durations of 1 second and 8 seconds.
• Fixation counts were analyzed across seven facial regions.

Main Results:

• A consistent facial scanning pattern was observed, beginning with central features (periorbital, nose, perioral) and expanding outwards.
• Slight shifts in fixation patterns occurred between 1-second and 8-second exposures.
• Age- and sex-specific analyses revealed distinct gaze pattern differences.

Conclusions:

• Facial scanning is consistent regardless of viewing time, prioritizing central features.
• Extended exposure (8 seconds) shifts focus to expression-related areas like the perioral region and forehead.
• For mature faces, longer viewing times increase attention to age-affected areas (perioral), relevant for cosmetic interventions.