Abstract
We measured thresholds in a 1-of-10 face identification task in which stimuli were embedded in orientation-filtered Gaussian noise. For upright faces, the threshold elevation produced by the masking noise varied as a function of noise orientation: significantly greater masking was obtained with horizontal noise than with vertical noise. However, the orientation selectivity of masking was significantly less with inverted faces. The performance of an ideal observer was qualitatively similar to human observers viewing upright faces: the masking function exhibited a peak for horizontally oriented noise although the selectivity of masking was greater than what was observed in human observers. These results imply that significantly more information about facial identity was conveyed by horizontal contours than by vertical contours, and that human observers use this information more efficiently to identify upright faces than inverted faces. We also found a significant positive correlation between selectivity for horizontal information and face identification accuracy for upright, but not inverted faces. Finally, there was a significant positive correlation between horizontal tuning and the size of the face inversion effect. These results demonstrate that the use of information conveyed by horizontal contours is associated with face identification accuracy and the magnitude of the face inversion effect.
Highlights
IntroductionDiscriminate, and recognize hundreds of faces every day. despite the apparent ease with which face recognition normally operates, there are some conditions in which we experience difficulty
We detect, discriminate, and recognize hundreds of faces every day
In this experiment we found that human observers preferentially use horizontal information to identify upright faces more than inverted faces
Summary
Discriminate, and recognize hundreds of faces every day. despite the apparent ease with which face recognition normally operates, there are some conditions in which we experience difficulty. Rotating a face 180 ̊ in the picture plane significantly impairs recognition, and these effects of rotation appear to be larger for faces than for other kinds of objects (Yin, 1969; Valentine, 1988; Husk et al, 2007) This wellestablished face inversion effect is interesting because the physical information available to discriminate two inverted faces is the same as that available to discriminate two upright faces, and a difference in perceptual processing or observer strategies must underlie the face inversion effect. Using the classification image technique, Sekuler et al (2004) found that observers relied on information carried by pixels near the eyes and eyebrows to identify both upright and inverted faces Based on this result, Sekuler et al suggested that observers use similar spatial regions to identify upright and inverted faces, but that inversion produces a quantitative difference in the ability to extract relevant information from those regions. Sekuler et al suggested that observers use similar spatial regions to identify upright and inverted faces, but that inversion produces a quantitative difference in the ability to extract relevant information from those regions. Gaspar et al (2008a) tested this hypothesis directly using the equivalent noise paradigm, and found that inversion decreased calculation efficiency alone, supporting the notion that observers use available physical information in the stimuli less effectively when processing inverted faces
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 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.
