Abstract
Social interaction starts with perception of other persons. One of the first steps in perception is processing of basic information such as spatial frequencies (SF), which represent details and global information. However, although behavioural perception of SF is well investigated, the developmental trajectory of the temporal characteristics of SF processing is not yet well understood. The speed of processing of this basic visual information is crucial, as it determines the speed and possibly accuracy of subsequent visual and social processes. The current study investigated developmental changes in the temporal characteristics of selective processing of high SF (HSF; details) versus low SF (LSF; global). To this end, brain activity was measured using EEG in 108 children aged 3–15 years, while HSF or LSF grating stimuli were presented. Interest was in the temporal characteristics of brain activity related to LSF and HSF processing, specifically at early (N80) or later (P1 or N2) peaks in brain activity. Analyses revealed that from 7–8 years onwards HSF but not LSF stimuli evoked an N80 peak. In younger children, aged 3–8 years, the visual manipulation mainly affected the visual N2 peak. Selective processing of HSF versus LSF thus occurs at a rather late time-point (N2 peak) in young children. Although behavioural research previously showed that 3–6 year-olds can perceive detailed information, the current results point out that selective processing of HSF versus LSF is still delayed in these children. The delayed processing in younger children could impede the use of LSF and HSF for emotional face processing. Thus, the current study is a starting point for understanding changes in basic visual processing which underlie social development.
Highlights
The perception of others is a crucial step in the development of social behaviour
Visual inspection of peak maxima at age-group average (Fig. 2) and individual level indicated that the amplitude of the N80 peak evoked by low SF (LSF) and high SF (HSF) stimuli was close to zero microvolt in 3–6 year-olds, and was for that reason not analyzed in these groups
The current study investigated developmental changes in the temporal EEG signal characteristics of selective HSF versus LSF processing in children aged 3 to 10 years, and compared their brain activity to children aged 14 to 15 years in which these processes have matured
Summary
The perception of others is a crucial step in the development of social behaviour. Both detailed visual information, such as the face’s wrinkles, and global visual information, such as the PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0122507 March 23, 2015Development of Visual Processing doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122507.g001 proportion between eyes and eyebrows, play an important role in social interaction [1]. The perception of others is a crucial step in the development of social behaviour. Both detailed visual information, such as the face’s wrinkles, and global visual information, such as the PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0122507. There are significant gaps in the knowledge on typical developmental changes in basic perception, that is: outside a social context, of details and global information across childhood. This is the case for development beyond infancy [1,5,6,7]. In the current study we investigated the developmental trajectory of selective processing of HSF and LSF in the brain
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