Environmental Inversion Effects in Face Perception

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Environmental Inversion Effects in Face Perception
Language: English
Authors: Davidenko, Nicolas, Flusberg, Stephen J.
Source: Cognition. Jun 2012 123(3):442-447.
Availability: Elsevier. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800. Tel: 877-839-7126; Tel: 407-345-4020; Fax: 407-363-1354; e-mail: usjcs@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Physical Description: PDF
Page Count: 6
Publication Date: 2012
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Recognition (Psychology), Task Analysis, Experiments, Perception, Visual Stimuli, Human Body, Visual Environment, Cognitive Processes, Control Groups, Orientation
DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2012.02.009
ISSN: 0010-0277
Abstract: Visual processing is highly sensitive to stimulus orientation; for example, face perception is drastically worse when faces are oriented inverted vs. upright. However, stimulus orientation must be established in relation to a particular reference frame, and in most studies, several reference frames are conflated. Which reference frame(s) matter in the perception of faces? Here we describe a simple, novel method for dissociating effects of egocentric and environmental orientation on face processing. Participants performed one of two face-processing tasks (expression classification and recognition memory) as they lay horizontally, which served to disassociate the egocentric and environmental frames. We found large effects of egocentric orientation on performance and smaller but reliable effects of environmental orientation. In a follow-up control experiment, we ruled out the possibility that the latter could be explained by compensatory ocular counterroll. We argue that environmental orientation influences face processing, which is revealed when egocentric orientation is fixed. (Contains 5 figures and 1 supplementary data.)
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2012
Accession Number: EJ965426
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Visual processing is highly sensitive to stimulus orientation; for example, face perception is drastically worse when faces are oriented inverted vs. upright. However, stimulus orientation must be established in relation to a particular reference frame, and in most studies, several reference frames are conflated. Which reference frame(s) matter in the perception of faces? Here we describe a simple, novel method for dissociating effects of egocentric and environmental orientation on face processing. Participants performed one of two face-processing tasks (expression classification and recognition memory) as they lay horizontally, which served to disassociate the egocentric and environmental frames. We found large effects of egocentric orientation on performance and smaller but reliable effects of environmental orientation. In a follow-up control experiment, we ruled out the possibility that the latter could be explained by compensatory ocular counterroll. We argue that environmental orientation influences face processing, which is revealed when egocentric orientation is fixed. (Contains 5 figures and 1 supplementary data.)
ISSN:0010-0277
DOI:10.1016/j.cognition.2012.02.009