Rightward shift of self-face representation

Self-face representation refers to an internal image of one's own face that does not necessarily match its physical properties. A previous study showed that remembered facial features located centrally or on the right side, such as the nose and right eye, tend to shift rightward. However, this rightward bias may result from using the right index finger to report locations. The present study examined whether the bias would occur when participants used the left index finger, following Mora et al.'s procedure in which participants, with their eyes closed, pointed to locations on a transparent acrylic board as if the designated facial features were projected in parallel in front of the board. Twenty-eight participants pointed to designated facial features using either their right or left index finger. The reported locations were recorded digitally and compared with the actual feature locations. When using the right finger, a rightward bias appeared for all central and right-side facial features. When using the left finger, all left-side facial features shifted leftward, indicating a leftward bias. Importantly, the rightward bias remained for all right-side facial features. These results suggest that the bias reflects both a general tendency toward rightward shifting and an artifact related to the side of the reporting finger.