Familiarization increases face individuation measured with fast periodic visual stimulation

Abstract

People are better at recognizing familiar versus unfamiliar faces. The current study investigated whether familiarity would lead to a larger face individuation response as measured via fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS). While electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded, participants viewed oddball sequences of faces made up of more versus less familiarized faces. In each sequence, a single base face was repeated at a rate of 6 Hz and oddball faces with different identities were presented every fifth face (6 Hz/5 = 1.2 Hz). As in previous studies, significant face individuation responses were observed at 1.2 Hz and its harmonics, with the strongest responses located over right occipito-temporal electrode sites. Despite a relatively minimal learning manipulation, the face individuation response over right occipito-temporal sites was stronger for more versus less familiarized faces. These results suggest that the fast-periodic visual oddball paradigm offers a promising means for investigating face learning.