Abstract
BackgroundIn everyday life, signals of danger, such as aversive facial expressions, usually appear in the peripheral visual field. Although facial expression processing in central vision has been extensively studied, this processing in peripheral vision has been poorly studied.Methodology/Principal FindingsUsing behavioral measures, we explored the human ability to detect fear and disgust vs. neutral expressions and compared it to the ability to discriminate between genders at eccentricities up to 40°. Responses were faster for the detection of emotion compared to gender. Emotion was detected from fearful faces up to 40° of eccentricity.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the human ability to detect facial expressions presented in the far periphery up to 40° of eccentricity. The increasing advantage of emotion compared to gender processing with increasing eccentricity might reflect a major implication of the magnocellular visual pathway in facial expression processing. This advantage may suggest that emotion detection, relative to gender identification, is less impacted by visual acuity and within-face crowding in the periphery. These results are consistent with specific and automatic processing of danger-related information, which may drive attention to those messages and allow for a fast behavioral reaction.
Highlights
The human visual system is constantly solicited by stimuli appearing randomly in all parts of the visual field
Our results demonstrate the human ability to detect facial expressions presented in the far periphery up to 40u of eccentricity
The increasing advantage of emotion compared to gender processing with increasing eccentricity might reflect a major implication of the magnocellular visual pathway in facial expression processing
Summary
The human visual system is constantly solicited by stimuli appearing randomly in all parts of the visual field. Identifying emotional expressions allows us to gather valuable information about others’ moods and intentions and provides important clues as to the presence of environmental dangers This is true of fearful faces, which may convey information about imminent danger. Faces of congeners are naturally ubiquitous in the environment, often seen not just in the direct line of sight, but frequently appearing in the periphery of the visual field. It follows that there is an adaptive advantage to efficiently detect fear in the center and in the peripheral visual field, allowing for a fast behavioral response to a nearby threat. Facial expression processing in central vision has been extensively studied, this processing in peripheral vision has been poorly studied
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