Mechanisms of eye gaze perception during infancy.
Previous work has shown that infants are sensitive to the direction of gaze of another's face, and that gaze direction can cue attention. The present study replicates and extends results on the ERP correlates of gaze processing in 4-month-olds. In two experiments, we recorded ERPs while 4-month-olds viewed direct and averted gaze within the context of averted and inverted heads. Our results support the previous finding that cortical processing of faces in infants is enhanced when accompanied by direct gaze. However, this effect is only found when eyes are presented within the context of an upright face.
Farroni
Teresa
T
Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychology, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK. t.farroni@bbk.ac.uk
Johnson
Mark H
MH
Csibra
Gergely
G
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005133:Eye Movements; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D012016:Reference Values; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*