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Perceptual interference supports a non-modular account of face processing

I. Gauthier, T. Curran, K. Curby & Daniel Collins

The perception of faces and nonface objects recruits common processing stages early in the visual system. However, some argue that faces are eventually processed separately from objects in the brain within a domain-specific module dedicated to this category. Alternatively, apparent specialization for faces could result from our expertise with this category. We address the functional independence of face and object processing using behavioral and electrophysiological measures of interference. We hypothesized that expert processing of both faces and cars depends on common mechanisms related to holistic perception. In subjects presumed to be face experts we predicted that interference between holistic processing of faces and cars should increase with expertise in car identification. We found that holistic processing of cars increased with expertise and interfered with holistic processing of faces. Electrophysiological measures (ERPs) suggest this interference arose from perceptual processes contributing to holistic processing of both faces and objects of expertise.

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Related articles:

Rossion et al.. (2000)

Rossion & Gauthier (2002)

Rossion, Curran & Gauthier (2002)

Rossion, Gauthier, Goffaux, Tarr & Crommelinck (2002)

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