Prolonged Visual Experience in Adulthood Modulates Holistic Face Perception
2008

How Seeing Children's Faces Affects Adult Face Perception

Sample size: 36 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): de Heering Adélaïde, Rossion Bruno

Primary Institution: Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium

Hypothesis

Does prolonged visual experience with children's faces change how adults perceive faces?

Conclusion

Adults can change their face perception processes based on their experience with children's faces.

Supporting Evidence

  • Adults with more experience with children's faces showed a stronger composite face effect for children.
  • Preschool teachers had equal holistic processing for adult and children faces.
  • Participants with less experience had a stronger composite effect for adult faces.

Takeaway

If you look at children's faces a lot, it can help you see them better as an adult.

Methodology

Participants were tested on their ability to match parts of faces in a task comparing adults and children.

Potential Biases

Participants' prior exposure to children's faces may not have been accurately measured.

Limitations

Visual experience with children's faces was not assessed independently before testing.

Participant Demographics

36 female participants, 18 preschool teachers and 18 novices, aged 31-33 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p=0.002

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0002317

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