scholarly journals EXPRESS: Do facially disfiguring features influence attention and perception of faces? Evidence from an antisaccade task

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110416
Author(s):  
Luc Boutsen ◽  
Nathan A Pearson ◽  
Martin Jüttner
Keyword(s):  
Covert Attention ◽  
Saccadic Latency ◽  
Antisaccade Task ◽  
Disease Avoidance ◽  
Facial Information ◽  
Skin Discoloration ◽  
Attention And Perception ◽  
And Control ◽  
Speed And Accuracy ◽  
Unfamiliar Faces

Facial disfigurements can influence how observers attend to and interact with the person, leading to disease-avoidance behaviour and emotions (disgust, threat, fear for contagion). However, it is unclear whether this behaviour is reflected in the effect of the facial stigma on attention and perceptual encoding of facial information. We addressed this question by measuring, in a mixed antisaccade task, observers’ speed and accuracy of orienting of visual attention towards or away from peripherally presented upright and inverted unfamiliar faces that had either a realistic looking disease-signalling feature (a skin discoloration), a non-disease-signalling control feature, or no added feature. The presence of a disfiguring or control feature did not influence the orienting of attention (in terms of saccadic latency) towards upright faces, sugesting that avoidance responses towards facial stigma do not occur during covert attention. However, disfiguring and control features signficantly reduced the effect of stimulus inversion on saccadic latency, thus suggesting an impact on the holistic processing of facial information. The implications of these findings for the encoding and appraisal of of facial disfigurements are discussed.

scholarly journals Differential impact of disfiguring facial features on overt and covert attention

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc Boutsen ◽  
Nathan A. Pearson ◽  
Martin Juttner
Keyword(s):  
Covert Attention ◽  
Facial Features ◽  
Rating Task ◽  
Visual Salience ◽  
Differential Impact ◽  
Overt Attention ◽  
Eye Fixations ◽  
The Face ◽  
Skin Discoloration ◽  
Unfamiliar Faces

Observers can form negative impressions about faces that contain disfiguring features (e.g., scars). Previous research suggests that this might be due to the ability of disfiguring features to capture attention — as evidenced by contrasting observers' responses to faces with or without disfiguring features. This, however, confounds theeffects of salience and perceptual interpretation, i.e. whether the feature is seen as integral to the face, or separate from it. Furthermore, it remains unclear to what extent disfiguring features influence covert as well as overt attention. We addressed these issues by studying attentional effects by photographs of unfamiliar faces containing a unilateral disfigurement (a skin discoloration) or a visually similar control feature that was partly occluding the face. Disfiguring and occluding features were first matched for salience (Experiment 1). Experiments 2 and 3 assessed the effect of these features on covert attention in two cueing tasks involving discrimination of a (validly or invalidly cued) target in the presence of, respectively, a peripheral or central distractor face. In both conditions, disfigured and occluded faces did not differ significantly in their impact on response-time costs following invalid cues. In Experiment 4 we compared overt attention to these faces by analysing patterns of eye fixations during an attractiveness rating task. Critically, faces with disfiguring features attracted more fixations on the eyes and incurred a higher number of recurrent fixations compared to faces with salience-matched occluding features. Together, these results suggest a differential impact of disfiguring facial features on overt and covert attention, which is mediated both by the visual salience of such features and by their perceptual interpretation.

scholarly journals Does Prosopagnosia Take the Eyes Out of Face Representations? Evidence for a Defect in Representing Diagnostic Facial Information following Brain Damage

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 1652-1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Caldara ◽  
Philippe Schyns ◽  
Eugéne Mayer ◽  
Marie L. Smith ◽  
Frédéric Gosselin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Processing System ◽  
Facial Information ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
The Face ◽  
Occipitotemporal Cortex ◽  
Response Classification ◽  
Unfamiliar Faces ◽  
Normal Controls

One of the most impressive disorders following brain damage to the ventral occipitotemporal cortex is prosopagnosia, or the inability to recognize faces. Although acquired prosopagnosia with preserved general visual and memory functions is rare, several cases have been described in the neuropsychological literature and studied at the functional and neural level over the last decades. Here we tested a brain-damaged patient (PS) presenting a deficit restricted to the category of faces to clarify the nature of the missing and preserved components of the face processing system when it is selectively damaged. Following learning to identify 10 neutral and happy faces through extensive training, we investigated patient PS's recognition of faces using Bubbles, a response classification technique that sampled facial information across the faces in different bandwidths of spatial frequencies [Gosselin, F., & Schyns, P. E., Bubbles: A technique to reveal the use of information in recognition tasks. Vision Research, 41, 2261-2271, 2001]. Although PS gradually used less information (i.e., the number of bubbles) to identify faces over testing, the total information required was much larger than for normal controls and decreased less steeply with practice. Most importantly, the facial information used to identify individual faces differed between PS and controls. Specifically, in marked contrast to controls, PS did not use the optimal eye information to identify familiar faces, but instead the lower part of the face, including the mouth and the external contours, as normal observers typically do when processing unfamiliar faces. Together, the findings reported here suggest that damage to the face processing system is characterized by an inability to use the information that is optimal to judge identity, focusing instead on suboptimal information.

Reversal of the Cry-Wolf Effect: An Investigation of Two Methods to Increase Alarm Response Rates

1995 ◽  
Vol 80 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1231-1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bliss ◽  
M. Dunn ◽  
B. S. Fuller
Keyword(s):  
Human Performance ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Complex Task ◽  
Response Frequency ◽  
Alarm Response ◽  
Alarm Systems ◽  
And Control ◽  
Speed And Accuracy

In complex task environments, false alarms have been associated with less frequent and slower alarm responses. This research attempted to improve alarm responses using a hearsay method, in which participants were told that false alarms would be less frequent than they actually were, and an urgency method, in which the urgency of alarms was increased. Response frequency, speed, and accuracy of three groups of 20 students (Urgency, Hearsay, and Control) were compared across groups and sessions using analyses of variance and t tests. Both methods were successful; hearsay participants increased their response rates across sessions, and urgency participants decreased their response times. The results are discussed with regard to design of alarm systems and theory of human performance.

Saccadic and attentional abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 1091-1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. MARUFF ◽  
J. DANCKERT ◽  
C. PANTELIS ◽  
J. CURRIE
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Stimulus Onset ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Covert Attention ◽  
Visually Guided ◽  
Antisaccade Task ◽  
Attentional Shifts ◽  
Abnormal Performance ◽  
Onset Asynchrony ◽  
Normal Performance

Background. Abnormal performance on the antisaccade task suggests that patients with schizophrenia have difficulty with the inhibition of reflexive attentional shifts. The aim of the study was to investigate whether deficits in the inhibition of reflexive attentional shifts were specific to the oculomotor modality or whether they could also occur when attentional shifts were made without eye movements (e.g. covert attentional shifts).Methods. Fifteen medicated patients with chronic schizophrenia and 15 matched controls performed the antisaccade task and the covert orientating task (COVAT) where the probability of targets appearing at the same location of a peripheral cue was varied so that voluntary and reflexive orientating systems had the same goal (80% probability of target and cued condition) or opposite goals (20%probability of target at cued location). A condition where only reflexive orientating was initiated was also included (50% probability of target at cued location). For each of these conditions the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) varied between 150 and 350 ms.Results. Patients with schizophrenia showed normal latency and accuracy for visually guided saccades but increased error rates and latency on the antisaccade task. For the COVAT, patients with schizophrenia were unable to use voluntary orientating strategies to inhibit reflexive shifts of covert attention. On conditions where only reflexive orientating was required or when the goals of the reflexive and voluntary orientating systems were the same, patients with schizophrenia showed normal performance.Conclusions. These results suggest the reflexive orientating mode is normal in patients with chronic schizophrenia. However, these patients have a reduced ability to utilize the voluntary orientating mode to control or inhibit reflexive orientating. This impairment of voluntary control is evident for both overt and covert attentional shifts.

Biological variability and control of movements via δλ

1995 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 786-786
Author(s):  
Charles E. Wright ◽  
Rebecca A. States
Keyword(s):  
Control Variable ◽  
Biological Variability ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
And Control ◽  
Speed And Accuracy

AbstractThree issues related to Feldman and Levin's treatment of biological variability are discussed. We question the usefulness of the indirect component of δλ. We suggest that trade-offs between speed and accuracy in aimed movements support identification of δλ, rather than λ, as a control variable. We take issue with the authors' proposal for resolving redundancy in multi-joint movements, given recent data.

Predicting the Scale of Tennis Rackets for Optimal Striking from Body Dimensions

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda M. Gagen ◽  
Kathleen M. Haywood ◽  
Steven D. Spaner
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Body Dimensions ◽  
Environmental Objects ◽  
And Control ◽  
Speed And Accuracy ◽  
Significant Factors

This study tested the hypothesis that scaling environmental objects can afford differently sized individuals the opportunity to make similarly effective movements with that object. Four similar tennis rackets were scaled to provide consistent differences in length, weight, and grip size. Children between 4 and 10 years of age were asked to strike with each racket for speed and accuracy. A significant relationship existed between body size and strength and the ability to both generate racket head speed and control the racket for an accurate strike; racket size and weight, however, were not significant factors in the ability to swing effectively.

Evaluating the M1A2 Tank Commander's Interface: The Battle of Input Devices

1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (17) ◽  
pp. 1257-1261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Gross ◽  
Nancy Ciappara ◽  
Thomas Smist ◽  
Peter Benson
Keyword(s):  
Task Completion ◽  
Cognitive Workload ◽  
Input Devices ◽  
Natural Modes ◽  
Touch Input ◽  
Mission Success ◽  
And Control ◽  
Speed And Accuracy ◽  
Completion Times ◽  
The U.S

Speed and accuracy of command and control inputs are critical to mission success and the very survival of tank crews in the U.S. Army M1A2 main battle tanks. New control methodologies (i.e., voice and touch input) are being considered for upgrades to the next main battle tank. Proponents argue that voice and touch are fast, natural modes of control. If so, when voice and touch are evaluated against the tank commander's traditional interfaces (e.g., push buttons, joystick cursor controller), mission task completion times should be quicker and no less accurate. Voice and touch input also should reduce cognitive workload compared to traditional tank input devices. The findings were consistent with these hypotheses.

scholarly journals Recognition of briefly presented familiar and unfamiliar faces

Psihologija ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bozana Veres-Injac ◽  
Malte Persike
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Recognition Accuracy ◽  
Recognition Performance ◽  
Recognition Task ◽  
Spatial Relations ◽  
Weak Inversion ◽  
Facial Information ◽  
Early Processing ◽  
Blurring Effect ◽  
Unfamiliar Faces

Early processing stages in the perception of familiar and unfamiliar faces were studied in four experiments by varying the type of available facial information in a four alternative forced choice recognition task. Both reaction time and recognition accuracy served as dependent measures. The observed data revealed an asymmetry in processing familiar and unfamiliar faces. A markedly weak inversion effect and strong blurring effect suggest a limited usage of spatial relations within early processing stages of unfamiliar faces. Recognition performance for whole familiar faces did not deteriorate due to blurring or the presentation of isolated internal features, suggesting a low level of representation for featural properties of familiar faces. Based on the data we propose that recognition of familiar faces relies much more on spatial relations among features, particularly internal features, than on featural characteristics. In contrast, recognition of unfamiliar faces resorts mainly to featural information.

scholarly journals Real-life experience with personally familiar faces enhances discrimination based on global information

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike Ramon ◽  
Goedele Van Belle
Keyword(s):  
Life Experience ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Global Information ◽  
Physical Similarity ◽  
Identity Information ◽  
Facial Information ◽  
Unfamiliar Face ◽  
Efficient Processing ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Unfamiliar Faces

Despite the agreement that experience with faces leads to more efficient processing, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Building on empirical evidence from unfamiliar face processing in healthy populations and neuropsychological patients, the present experiment tested the hypothesis that personal familiarity is associated with superior discrimination when identity information is derived based on global, as opposed to local facial information. Diagnosticity and availability of local and global information was manipulated through varied physical similarity and spatial resolution of morph faces created from personally familiar or unfamiliar faces. We found that discrimination of subtle changes between highly similar morph faces was unaffected by familiarity. Contrariwise, relatively more pronounced physical (i.e., identity) differences were more efficiently discriminated for personally familiar faces, indicating more efficient processing of global, as opposed to local facial information through real-life experience.

An Observational Study on Urdwaga Amlapitta Nidana w.s.r. to Diet and Lifestyle

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubhasri B ◽  
Vijay B. Negalur ◽  
Yogeesha Acharya
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Behavioral Pattern ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Diet Pattern ◽  
And Control ◽  
Diet And Lifestyle ◽  
Speed And Accuracy

21st century is the era of competition with full of stress having more speed and accuracy are the prime demand to fulfill their need. The needs of the human being are infinite but the availability is less to fulfill the growing needs. So man is trying to utilize his time in fulfillment of such needs without thinking about his health. He is changing his lifestyle, diet pattern and behavioral pattern and inviting many lifestyle disorders like Amlapitta. Ayurvedic literature mentions about diseases Amlapitta mainly caused because of Ahitakara Ahara, Vihara and Manasika Bhava. So avoiding such Nidana can prevent and control the disease. So in this present study importance has been given for Aharaja and Viharaja Nidana in the manifestation of Urdwaga Amlapitta. As no considerable works were done w.s.r to Nidana, the study was taken up entitled “An Observational Study on Urdwaga Amlapitta Nidana w.s.r to Diet and Lifestyle”.

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