2007 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
The entry point of face recognition
| Project/Area Number |
18530562
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Experimental psychology
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| Research Institution | University of the Ryukyus |
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Principal Investigator |
ENDO Mitsuo University of the Ryukyus, Department of Human Science, Professor (90185166)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2006 – 2007
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| Keywords | entry point / face recognition / basic level / subordinate level / category verification task |
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| Research Abstract |
The entry point of object recognition is defined as the initial point of contact between the perceptual stimulus and its memory representation. Usually objects are identified first at the basic level, so this level functions as the entry point. However, faces can be categorized at the subordinate level as fast as at the basic one. The aim of this research was to examine whether the entry point in face recognition was at the subordinate level rather than the basic level, or at both the levels.
In experiment 1 and 2, participants were asked to name pictures and words, in which famous faces and their names were included, at the superordinate, basic, or subordinate level as soon as possible. If the basic level for faces no longer function as the entry point, the identification at the basic level for faces will be achieved by a search through semantic memory, as the identification at the superordinate level, so that there will be a positive correlation between naming pictures and words at the basic level for faces. The results did not show the positive correlation, which indicated that the basic level for face functions as the entry point.
In experiment 3, categorizations of faces at the basic and subordinate levels were compared with those of other objects using the category verification task. If the basic level for faces no longer function as the entry point, categorization of faces at the basic level would be slower than that of other objects. It showed that reaction times for faces were faster than those for dogs and birds at the basic level as well as the subordinate level.
The results of the present research indicated that both the basic and subordinate levels function as the entry point for the face recognition.
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Research Products
(4 results)
