Reaction Time Measures of Feature Saliency in Schematic Faces

• Published in: Perception (London) 1990-01, Vol.19 (5), p.661-673
• Main Authors: Fraser, Ian H, Craig, Greg L, Parker, Denis M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activity levels. Psychomotricity; Adult; Attention; Biological and medical sciences; Discrimination Learning; Face; Facial Expression; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Middle Aged; Orientation; Pattern Recognition, Visual; Problem Solving; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychophysics; Reaction Time
• ISSN: 0301-0066; 1468-4233
• DOI: 10.1068/p190661

Two separate paradigms utilizing measurements of reaction time were employed to study facial feature saliency in schematic line drawn faces. In the first paradigm the speed of response to the omission of different facial components was measured, and in the second, the speed of response to feature substitution was measured. In both paradigms the facial features were presented in a random temporal sequence in order to minimise preferential scanning strategies. The two separate paradigms reflected the feature hierarchy most commonly found in the literature, ie the outline and eyes are more salient than the nose and mouth in terms of both speed of processing and error rate. In a third study the feature substitution paradigm was used to investigate the effects of feature saliency on the perception of emotional faces. The results suggest a change in the eyes/mouth hierarchy so that the mouth becomes the most salient feature in the surprised, happy, and sad target faces. This reverse in hierarchy, however, was not evident with the angry target face. These results are discussed in terms of changes in the focus of ‘attention’ and/or changes in ‘processing efficiency’.