Inverting Faces Elicits Sensitivity to Race on the N170 Component: a Cross-Cultural Study

Vizioli, L., Foreman, K., Rousselet, G.A. and Caldara, R. (2010) Inverting Faces Elicits Sensitivity to Race on the N170 Component: a Cross-Cultural Study. Journal of Vision(1), pp. 1-23. (doi: 10.1167/10.1.15)

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Abstract

Human beings are natural experts at processing faces, with some notable exceptions. Same-race faces are better recognized than other-race faces: the so-called other-race effect (ORE). Inverting faces impairs recognition more than for any other inverted visual object: the so-called face inversion effect (FIE). Interestingly, the FIE is stronger for same- compared to other-race faces. At the electrophysiological level, inverted faces elicit consistently delayed and often larger N170 compared to upright faces. However, whether the N170 component is sensitive to race is still a matter of ongoing debate. Here we investigated the N170 sensitivity to race in the framework of the FIE. We recorded EEG from Western Caucasian and East Asian observers while presented with Western Caucasian, East Asian and African American faces in upright and inverted orientations. To control for potential confounds in the EEG signal relating to differences in the intrinsic and salient low-level properties of faces from different races, we normalized their amplitude-spectra, luminance and contrast. No differences on the N170 were observed for upright faces. Critically, inverted same-race faces lead to greater recognition impairment and elicited larger N170 amplitudes compared to inverted other-race faces. Our results indicate a finer-grained neural tuning for same-race faces at early stages of processing in both groups of observers.\r\n

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Caldara, Professor Roberto and Rousselet, Dr Guillaume
Authors: Vizioli, L., Foreman, K., Rousselet, G.A., and Caldara, R.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Psychology
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
Journal Name:Journal of Vision
Publisher:Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
ISSN:1534-7362

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
449881Social interaction - a cognitive-neurosciences approachSimon GarrodEconomic & Social Research Council (ESRC)ES/E020933/1Cognitive Neuroimaging & Neuroengineering Technologies