Abstract
Species vary widely in the conspicuousness of their eye morphology and this could influence gaze perception. Eyes with conspicuous morphology can enhance gaze perception while eyes with camouflaged morphology may hinder gaze perception. While evidence suggests that conspicuous eye morphology enhances gaze perception, little is known about how environmental conditions affect this interaction. Thus, we investigated whether environmental light conditions affect gaze perception. Human subjects (Homo sapiens) were instructed to find direct-gaze faces within arrays of averted-gaze faces or to find averted-gaze faces within arrays of directed-gaze faces. The faces were displayed under conditions simulating nighttime or daytime conditions. Furthermore, the faces had naturally-colored sclera (white) or modified sclera (same color as the iris). Participants were fastest and most accurate in detecting faces during the daytime and nighttime conditions when the sclera were naturally-colored. Participants were worst at detecting faces with modified sclera during the nighttime conditions. These results suggest that eyes with conspicuous morphology enhance gaze perception during both daytime and nighttime conditions.
Highlights
Gaze perception allows individuals to determine where others are directing their overt attention [1]
Even though gaze perception is vital to many forms of social cognition, we still have much to learn about the factors that affect it
Participants were slower to detect target faces with modified sclera under nighttime compared to daytime conditions
Summary
Gaze perception allows individuals to determine where others are directing their overt attention [1]. Individuals can evaluate if others are looking directly toward them or looking elsewhere within the environment [2, 3]. They can follow the gaze of others to learn about the location of salient objects. Humans and other species follow the gaze of conspecifics to distant locations (reviewed in [4]). Complex forms of social cognition, such as theory of mind, likely involve gaze perception [1]. Even though gaze perception is vital to many forms of social cognition, we still have much to learn about the factors that affect it
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
