Top down processing of faces in human brain: A Behavioral Study

Abstract

Notwithstanding the extensive research effort has gone into understanding face perception by human brain. The concept of face recognition is established yet is selectively impaired relative to recognition of faces of equivalent difficulty. The objective of present study is to develop a theoretical model and a set of stipulations for understanding and discussing how we distinguish familiar faces, and the relationship between recognition and other aspects of face processing. Top down imagery stimuli of familiar and unfamiliar faces were shown to healthy individuals and were asked to recognize them as quickly and accurately as possible. The stimuli were formulated in such a manner that semantic memory and cognitive training does not play a significant role during the task execution. The responded stages by the subjects were recorded. Results obtained from the nonparametric analysis of the multivariate data recorded indicate that process of structural decoding of unfamiliar faces occurring inside the brain is delayed in comparison to familiar faces. It is speculated that brain structures, which have been associated with face recognition task countenance difficulty while identifying unfamiliar faces. Several distinctive information that we derive from seen faces appear to influence the processing performance of the brain during the task.