title: The N170 component is sensitive to face-like stimuli: a study of Chinese Peking opera makeup.
abstract: The N170 component is considered a neural marker of face-sensitive processing. In the present study, the face-sensitive N170 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) was investigated with a modified oddball paradigm using a natural face (the standard stimulus), human- and animal-like makeup stimuli, scrambled control images that mixed human- and animal-like makeup pieces, and a grey control image. Nineteen participants were instructed to respond within 1000 ms by pressing the 'F' or 'J' key in response to the standard or deviant stimuli, respectively. We simultaneously recorded ERPs, response accuracy, and reaction times. The behavioral results showed that the main effect of stimulus type was significant for reaction time, whereas there were no significant differences in response accuracies among stimulus types. In relation to the ERPs, N170 amplitudes elicited by human-like makeup stimuli, animal-like makeup stimuli, scrambled control images, and a grey control image progressively decreased. A right hemisphere advantage was observed in the N170 amplitudes for human-like makeup stimuli, animal-like makeup stimuli, and scrambled control images but not for grey control image. These results indicate that the N170 component is sensitive to face-like stimuli and reflect configural processing in face recognition.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029 China ; School of Educational Science, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000 China.
authors.forename: Tiantian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Educational Science, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000 China.
authors.forename: Shoukuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cognition and Mental Health, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, 402168 China.
authors.forename: Huamin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Educational Science, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000 China.
authors.forename: Lingcong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029 China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: School of Educational Science, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000 China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: School of Educational Science, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000 China.
authors.forename: Mingming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029 China.
authors.forename: Weiqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029 China ; Laboratory of Cognition and Mental Health, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, 402168 China.
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
keywords: Chinese Peking opera makeup; Configural information; Face processing; N170