Age-related Differences in Processing Face Configuration: The Importance of the Eye Region

作者：Slessor Gillian^*; Riby Deborah M; Finnerty Ailbhe N

来源：Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences , 2013, 68(2): 228-231.

DOI：10.1093/geronb/gbs059

• Aging
• Configural processing
• Face features

Objectives. Recent research suggests that older adults have difficulties with aspects of configural face processing. The present study examined whether age-related declines in sensitivity to configural face information are dependent on the face region in which configural changes occur. %26lt;br%26gt;Method. Younger and older adults completed a face-matching task that required the detection of configural manipulations to either the eye or the mouth regions of target faces. %26lt;br%26gt;Results. Age-related declines in the ability to detect configural changes were found when the eye region of the face was modified. Importantly, no age-related differences were evident when perceiving similar changes to the mouth region. %26lt;br%26gt;Discussion. Taken together, these findings suggest that age-related differences in sensitivity to configural information are specific to the eye region of the face. The potential implications of these findings for age-related difficulties in interpreting social cues from the eyes are discussed.

• 出版日期2013-3