title: Left visual field biases when infants process faces: a comparison of infants at high- and low-risk for autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: While it is well-known that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties processing faces, very little is known about the origins of these deficits. The current study focused on 6- and 11-month-old infants who were at either high-risk (n = 43) or low-risk (n = 31) for developing ASD based on having a sibling already diagnosed with the disorder. Eye-tracking data were collected while the infants viewed color photographs of faces. Similar to previous studies with both typically developing adults and infants, low-risk infants demonstrated a preference for looking at the left side of the face (known as a left visual field bias) that emerged by 11 months of age. In contrast, high-risk infants did not demonstrate a left visual field bias at either age. Comparisons of the amount of attention given to the eye versus mouth regions indicated no differences between the two risk groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dundas
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gastgeb
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*