Keeping it real: Recognizing expressions in real compared to schematic faces

Abstract

Controversy exists over whether facial expression recognition is a holistic or feature-based process. The present research explored the extent to which processing is affected by whether stimuli are photographs of real faces or computer-generated schematic faces. Using a composite facial expression recognition task, we observed greater holistic processing for photographic faces than for schematic faces in two experiments. In Experiment 1, processing was more holistic when stimuli were photographs of real faces based on multiple identities than when they were computer-generated schematic faces based on a single identity. Experiment 2 replicated this effect using a between-subjects design and extended it to photographic faces based on a single identity: Processing was more holistic for single-identity photographs than for single-identity schematics. As such, results demonstrate that stimulus format influences the extent of holistic processing, and provide a potential explanation for discrepant findings in the literature.