Poster used at the 2012 Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Research Conference. Presented at Edinboro University.

1. Can Priming the Brain Influence Facial Recognition?
Kristan Russell and Erin McCreary
Dawn G. Blasko
Abstract Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
The current study examined if it is possible to improve or impair
facial recognition accuracy by priming the brain’s lateralization. The
Procedure
first hypothesis was that performing a global lateralization task • Given informed consent and demographic survey, then began
would improve facial recognition accuracy. The second hypothesis computer aided portion (EPRIME).
was that performing a local lateralization task would impair facial •Shown 10 Photos
recognition accuracy. Lastly, it was hypothesized that the •Performed the condition they were randomly assigned to.
•Shown 30 photos (20 foils and previous 10 shown)
confidence of the participant would also have an influence on
accuracy. In the study, participants first viewed a photo array, and Method •Asked to identify whether they had seen them before, and
rated their confidence in each decision.
then were randomly assigned to complete either the Navon Letters
task, or the Hierarchical Figures Task. Research has validated Participants Design •Photos were shown one at a time in random order.
these tasks as being useful to prime the brain to either a global or
local lateralization. Participants were then asked to view a set of
• 65 participants total (female = 49 , male= 16)
randomly presented photos and decide if they were present in the
original set. They also rated their confidence in their decision. The
over arching goal of this study was to understand the effects of Stimuli
brain lateralization shifts on the ability to recognize faces. The • Demographic Questionnaire- Requested information
results showed that local processing significantly impaired the ability pertaining to each individual’s sex, age, race, major, and
to recognize a face compared to both control and global conditions. past history of experienced or witnessed violence.
However, priming the brain with global lateralization was not found
• Navon Letters (Turner & Engle, 1989) - Employed as
to significantly enhance recognition.
a means of determining working memory capacity. A
Navon Letter is a large letter made up of smaller letters.
• Hierarchical Figures- (Blanca, & Alarcon, 2002). - A
task consisted of large squares with the left or right side
Discussion
Introduction missing, made up of small squares with the right or left • One hypothesis, that local processing orientation would
significantly reduce facial recognition accuracy, was confirmed.
side missing.
• Past research has shown that facial recognition can be impaired •Confirmed past findings.
through left brain (or local) processing..
•Confirmed that the phenomenon is not restricted solely to
• Few studies examine the effects of global processing on facial priming by the Navon Letters task.
recognition, but it has been speculated that it may enhance it.
(minimal support for this theory exists) • Hypothesis that global processing would significantly enhance
• Hypothesis 1: Performing a global lateralization task will enhance recognition accuracy. facial recognition accuracy was not confirmed.
• Processing shifts can be primed through different types of tasks.
• t(33) = .10, p =.924 •Other factors must be measured and controlled.
• Previous research has investigated the phenomenon of facial
recognition reduction through using the Navon Letters task. (Macrae •Additional research in this area must be conducted, the past
& Lewis, 2002). studies do not agree on whether or not this phenomenon
exists.
• Research using Hierarchical Figures tasks to prime the brain’s • Hypothesis 2: Performing a local lateralization task will reduce recognition accuracy.
• No relationship between confidence and accuracy
lateralization has been used, but not applied to facial recognition
research.
• t(33) = 5.22, p < .001*
•Results did approach significance; possible need for a
stronger power.
•Implication: Jurors tend to place very heavy reliability on
Navon Letters Hierarchical Figures
witness confidence – if confidence does not influence
accuracy (as found in our study), it is important that jurors
reduce the reliability they place on this factor.
Facial Recognition Accuracy
References
•Macrae, C., & Lewis, H. (2002). Do i know you? processing
orientation and face recognition. Psychological Science, 13(2),
194-196.
Current Study
• The current study sought to examine the influence of brain
lateralization on one’s ability to recognize faces. Acknowledgments
This research was made possible through an Undergraduate
Research Question Student Research Grant at Penn State Erie, The Behrend
College. Special thanks to our research advisor Dr. Dawn
• Does global or local processing shifts enhance or reduce our
Blasko.
ability to recognize faces?
• Does our confidence level during this process influence our
recognition accuracy?
Task Type and Priming Condition
• Hypothesis 3: The participants overall confidence would have a significant influence on facial
recognition accuracy.