Face Inversion Effect Emerges Under Critical Configural Discrepancy

2010 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jisien Yang ◽  
Adrian Schwaninger
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Configural Processing ◽  
Major Contributor ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Configural Information ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
The Face

Configural processing has been considered the major contributor to the face inversion effect (FIE) in face recognition. However, most researchers have only obtained the FIE with one specific ratio of configural alteration. It remains unclear whether the ratio of configural alteration itself can mediate the occurrence of the FIE. We aimed to clarify this issue by manipulating the configural information parametrically using six different ratios, ranging from 4% to 24%. Participants were asked to judge whether a pair of faces were entirely identical or different. The paired faces that were to be compared were presented either simultaneously (Experiment 1) or sequentially (Experiment 2). Both experiments revealed that the FIE was observed only when the ratio of configural alteration was in the intermediate range. These results indicate that even though the FIE has been frequently adopted as an index to examine the underlying mechanism of face processing, the emergence of the FIE is not robust with any configural alteration but dependent on the ratio of configural alteration.

Configural Processing Hypothesis and Face-Inversion Effect

2010 ◽  
pp. 316-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam S. Rakover ◽  
Sam S. Rakover
Keyword(s):  
Visual Information ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Configural Processing ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Configural Information ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
Geometrical Illusions ◽  
Cast Doubt ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Difference

Perception and recognition of faces presented upright are better than Perception and recognition of faces presented inverted. The difference between upright and inverted orientations is greater in face recognition than in non-face object recognition. This Face-Inversion Effect is explained by the “Configural Processing” hypothesis that inversion disrupts configural information processing and leaves the featural information intact. The present chapter discusses two important findings that cast doubt on this hypothesis: inversion impairs recognition of isolated features (hair & forehead, and eyes), and certain facial configural information is not affected by inversion. The chapter focuses mainly on the latter finding, which reveals a new type of facial configural information, the “Eye-Illusion”, which is based on certain geometrical illusions. The Eye-Illusion tended to resist inversion in experimental tasks of both perception and recognition. It resisted inversion also when its magnitude was reduced. Similar results were obtained with “Headlight-Illusion” produced on a car‘s front, and with “Form-Illusion” produced in geometrical forms. However, the Eye-Illusion was greater than the Headlight-Illusion, which in turn was greater than the Form-Illusion. These findings were explained by the “General Visual-Mechanism” hypothesis in terms of levels of visual information learning. The chapter proposes that a face is composed of various kinds of configural information that are differently impaired by inversion: from no effect (the Eye-Illusion) to a large effect (the Face-Inversion Effect).

The Face-Inversion Effect as a Deficit in the Encoding of Configural Information: Direct Evidence

Perception ◽  
10.1068/p3012 ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejo Freire ◽  
Kang Lee ◽  
Lawrence A Symons
Keyword(s):  
Face Processing ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Matching To Sample ◽  
Delayed Matching ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Configural Information ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
The Face ◽  
Repeated Experiment

We report four experiments leading to conclusions that: (i) the face-inversion effect is mainly due to the deficits in processing of configural information from inverted faces; and (ii) this effect occurs primarily at the encoding stage of face processing, rather than at the storage stage. In experiment 1, participants discriminated upright faces differing primarily in configuration with 81% accuracy. Participants viewing the same faces presented upside down scored only 55%. In experiment 2, the corresponding discrimination rates for faces differing mainly in featural information were 91% (upright) and 90% (inverted). In experiments 3 and 4, the same faces were used in a memory paradigm. In experiment 3, a delayed matching-to-sample task was used, in which upright-face pairs differed either in configuration or features. Recognition rates were comparable to those for the corresponding upright faces in the discrimination tasks in experiments 1 and 2. However, there was no effect of delay (1 s, 5 s, or 10 s). In experiment 4, we repeated experiment 3, this time with inverted faces. Results were comparable to those of inverted conditions in experiments 1 and 2, and again there was no effect of delay. Together these results suggest that an ‘encoding bottleneck’ for configural information may be responsible for the face-inversion effect in particular, and memory for faces in general.

scholarly journals Visual Similarity Versus Mental Rotation For Inverted and Upright Faces.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam S. Rakover ◽  
Rani A. Bar-On ◽  
Anna Gliklich
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Visual Similarity ◽  
Cognitive System ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
Major Interest ◽  
The Face ◽  
Inverted Face

Abstract A major interest of research in face recognition lies in explaining the Face Inversion Effect (FIE), in which the recognition of an inverted face is less successful than that of an upright face. However, prior research has devoted little effort to examining how the cognitive system handles comparison between upright and inverted faces. In two experiments, such comparison is found to be based on visual similarity rather than on mental rotation of the inverted face to upright. Visual similarity is based on certain elements mutual to the two faces, which resist the transformation of inversion. These elements are symmetrical or salient components of the face, such as round eyes or thick lips.

Holistic Processing of Faces: Learning Effects with Mooney Faces

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1316-1327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Latinus ◽  
Margot J. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Holistic Processing ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Learning Effects ◽  
N170 Amplitude ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
The Face ◽  
Analytic Processing ◽  
Experimental Group

The specialness of faces is seen in the face inversion effect, which disrupts the configural, but not the analytic, processing of faces. Mooney faces, which are processed holistically, allowed us to determine the contribution of holistic processing to the face inversion effect. As inverted Mooney faces are difficult to recognize as faces, we also included an intermediary training period for Mooney face recognition for half of the subjects. Early face-sensitive ERPs (N170 and P1) and P2 were measured. Behavioral data showed an increase in correct responses to inverted and upright Mooney faces after the learning phase for the experimental group. No effects were seen on P1. N170 latency did not vary with stimulus type before the intermediary phase, however, N170 amplitude was consistently larger for upright than inverted Mooney faces. After the intermediary exercise, N170 was delayed for inverted compared to upright Mooney faces. In contrast, for both groups of subjects P2 amplitude was larger for nonface stimuli, and P2 amplitude decreased after the intermediate task only for the subjects trained to recognize Mooney faces. As the usual inversion effect seen with photographic faces (delayed and larger N170) was not seen with Mooney faces, these data suggest that this effect on N170 is due to the recruitment of analytic processing. P2 reflected learning and a deeper processing of the stimuli that were not identifiable as faces.

Inversion Impairs Expert Budgerigar Identity Recognition: A Face-Like Effect for a Nonface Object of Expertise

Perception ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 647-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Campbell ◽  
James W. Tanaka
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Object Recognition ◽  
Picture Plane ◽  
Holistic Processing ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Orientation Sensitivity ◽  
Identity Recognition ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
The Face

The face-inversion effect is the finding that picture-plane inversion disproportionately impairs face recognition compared to object recognition and is now attributed to greater orientation-sensitivity of holistic processing for faces but not common objects. Yet, expert dog judges have showed similar recognition deficits for inverted dogs and inverted faces, suggesting that holistic processing is not specific to faces but to the expert recognition of perceptually similar objects. Although processing changes in expert object recognition have since been extensively documented, no other studies have observed the distinct recognition deficits for inverted objects-of-expertise that people as face experts show for faces. However, few studies have examined experts who recognize individual objects similar to how people recognize individual faces. Here we tested experts who recognize individual budgerigar birds. The effect of inversion on viewpoint-invariant budgerigar and face recognition was compared for experts and novices. Consistent with the face-inversion effect, novices showed recognition deficits for inverted faces but not for inverted budgerigars. By contrast, experts showed equal recognition deficits for inverted faces and budgerigars. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that processes underlying the face-inversion effect are specific to the expert individuation of perceptually similar objects.

scholarly journals Individual recognition and the ‘face inversion effect’ in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes)

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mu-Yun Wang ◽  
Hideaki Takeuchi
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Individual Recognition ◽  
Complex Form ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
Conditioning Experiment ◽  
The Face ◽  
Animal Societies

Individual recognition (IR) is essential for maintaining various social interactions in a group, and face recognition is one of the most specialised cognitive abilities in IR. We used both a mating preference system and an electric shock conditioning experiment to test IR ability in medaka, and found that signals near the face are important. Medaka required more time to discriminate vertically inverted faces, but not horizontally shifted faces or inverted non-face objects. The ability may be comparable to the classic ‘face inversion effect’ in humans and some other mammals. Extra patterns added to the face also did not influence the IR. These findings suggest the possibility that the process of face recognition may differ from that used for other objects. The complex form of recognition may promote specific processing adaptations, although the mechanisms and neurological bases might differ in mammals and medaka. The ability to recognise other individuals is important for shaping animal societies.

scholarly journals Developmental changes in the processing of faces as revealed by EEG decoding

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inês Mares ◽  
Louise Ewing ◽  
Emily K. Farran ◽  
Fraser W Smith ◽  
Marie L Smith
Keyword(s):  
Face Processing ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Broad Face ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
Face Categorization ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Face ◽  
Processing Mechanisms

AbstractRapidly and accurately processing information from faces is a critical human function that is known to improve with developmental age. Understanding the underlying drivers of this improvement remains a contentious question, with debate continuing as to the presence of early vs. late maturation of face-processing mechanisms. Recent behavioural evidence suggests an important ‘hallmark’ of expert face processing – the face inversion effect – is present in very young children, yet neural support for this remains unclear. To address this, we conducted a detailed investigation of the neural dynamics of face-selective processing in children spanning a range of ages (6 – 11 years) and adults. Uniquely, we applied multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to the electroencephalogram signal (EEG) to test for the presence of a distinct neural profile associated with canonical upright faces when compared both to other objects (houses) and to inverted faces. Results revealed robust discrimination profiles, at the individual level, of differentiated neural activity associated with broad face categorization and further with its expert processing, as indexed by the face inversion effect, from the youngest ages tested. This result is consistent with an early functional maturation of broad face processing mechanisms. Yet, clear quantitative differences between the response profile of children and adults is suggestive of age-related refinement of this system with developing face and general expertise. Standard ERP analysis also provides some support for qualitative differences in the neural response to inverted faces in children in contrast to adults. This neural profile is in line with recent behavioural studies that have reported impressively expert early face abilities during childhood, while also providing novel evidence of the ongoing neural specialisation between child and adulthood.

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