An eye for detail: an event-related potential study of the rapid processing of fearful facial expressions in children.

P.H.J.M. Vlamings*, L.M. Jonkman, C. Kemner

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

There is converging evidence for the presence of a fast subcortical face-processing route that operates on global face characteristics in the mature brain. Until now, little has been known about the development of such a route, which is surprising given suggestions that this fast subcortical face-processing route might be affected in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. To address this, early visual event-related potentials to pictures of fearful and neutral faces containing detailed or global information in 3- to 4-year-old (n = 20), 5- to 6-year-old (n = 25), and 7- to 8-year-old (n = 25) children were compared. In children, emotional processing was driven by detailed information. Developmental effects are discussed in terms of maturation of the fast subcortical face-processing route as well as an increase in experience with facial expressions with age.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1304-1319
Number of pages16
JournalChild Development
Volume81
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2010

Keywords

  • 7-MONTH-OLD INFANTS
  • CATEGORICAL PERCEPTION
  • CONTRAST SENSITIVITY
  • EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS
  • ERP
  • FACE PERCEPTION
  • RECOGNITION
  • SPATIAL-FREQUENCY INFORMATION
  • TIME-COURSE
  • YOUNG-CHILDREN

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