The development of the perception of facial emotional change examined using ERPs

Abstract

ObjectiveThe development of the perception of changes in facial emotion was investigated using event-related potentials (ERPs) in children and adults. MethodsFour different conditions were presented: (1) N–H: a neutral face that suddenly changed to a happy face. (2) H–N: reverse of N–H. (3) N–A: a neutral face that suddenly changed to an angry face. (4) A–N: reverse of N–A. ResultsIn the bilateral posterior temporal areas, a negative component was evoked by all conditions in younger children (7–10years old), older children (11–14years old), and adults (23–33years old) within 150–300ms. Peak latency was significantly shorter and amplitude was significantly smaller in adults than younger and older children. Moreover, maximum amplitude was significantly larger for N–H and N–A than H–N and A–N in younger children and for N–H than the other three conditions in adults. ConclusionThe areas of the brain involved in perceiving changes in facial emotion have not matured by 14years of age. SignificanceOur study is the first to clarify a difference between children and adults in the perception of facial emotional change.