Face processing is enhanced in the left and upper visual hemi-fields
Face processing is enhanced in the left and upper visual hemi-fields
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DOI：
10.1080/13506285.2017.1327466
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发表时间：
2017-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
Kerzel, Dirk
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Carlei, Christophe;Framorando, David;Kerzel, Dirk
我们测试了两个已知的半场不对称性是否会影响视觉搜索与面部刺激。整体处理的空间配置是更好的左半场，反映了右半球的专业化，和物体识别是更好的上视野，反映了更强的投射到腹侧流。面部同时进入整体处理和物体识别，这分别预测了左半场和上半场的更好表现。在第一个实验中，参与者必须检测一张与其他面孔不同的注视方向的面孔。当目标出现在左半区和上半区时，参与者的反应更快。当仅呈现眼部区域时，观察到相同的结果模式。在第二个实验中，我们把脸颠倒过来，这消除了脸的典型空间配置。左半野优势消失，表明它与面孔的整体加工有关，而与物体识别有关的上半野优势仍然存在。最后，我们通过让观察者在闭着的眼睛中搜索一张睁开的脸，或者反之亦然，来简化搜索任务。简单的搜索任务消除了对复杂物体识别的需要，因此，上视野的优势消失了。同样，左半野优势减弱。总之，我们的研究结果表明，水平和垂直的不对称性会影响对面孔的搜索，并且可以通过改变刺激的特征来选择性地抑制。
We tested whether two known hemi-field asymmetries would affect visual search with face stimuli. Holistic processing of spatial configurations is better in the left hemi-field, reflecting a right hemisphere specialization, and object recognition is better in the upper visual field, reflecting stronger projections into the ventral stream. Faces tap into holistic processing and object recognition at the same time, which predicts better performance in the left and upper hemi-field, respectively. In the first experiment, participants had to detect a face with a gaze direction different from the remaining faces. Participants were faster to respond when targets were presented in the left and upper hemi-field. The same pattern of results was observed when only the eye region was presented. In the second experiment, we turned the faces upside-down, which eliminated the typical spatial configuration of faces. The left hemi-field advantage disappeared, showing that it is related to holistic processing of faces, whereas the upper hemi-field advantage related to object recognition persisted. Finally, we made the search task easier by asking observers to search for a face with open among closed eyes or vice versa. The easy search task eliminated the need for complex object recognition and, accordingly, the advantage of the upper visual field disappeared. Similarly, the left hemi-field advantage was attenuated. In sum, our findings show that both horizontal and vertical asymmetries affect the search for faces and can be selectively suppressed by changing characteristics of the stimuli.