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The effect of familiarity on face adaptation

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posted on 2023-06-08, 10:47 authored by Sarah Laurence, Graham Hole
Face aftereffects can provide information on how faces are stored by the human visual system (eg Leopold et al, 2001 Nature Neuroscience 4 89 – 94), but few studies have used robustly represented (highly familiar) faces. In this study we investigated the influence of facial familiarity on adaptation effects. Participants were adapted to a series of distorted faces (their own face, a famous face, or an unfamiliar face). In experiment 1, figural aftereffects were significantly smaller when participants were adapted to their own face than when they were adapted to the other faces (ie their own face appeared significantly less distorted than a famous or unfamiliar face). Experiment 2 showed that this ‘own-face’ effect did not occur when the same faces were used as adaptation stimuli for participants who were unfamiliar with them. Experiment 3 replicated experiment 1, but included a pre-adaptation baseline. The results highlight the importance of considering facial familiarity when conducting research on face aftereffects.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Perception

ISSN

0301-0066

Publisher

Pion Ltd

Issue

4

Volume

40

Page range

450-463

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-21

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2012-11-09

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2012-11-09

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