Cite as:
Yamaguchi M K, 2000, "Constructing the prototype face" Perception 29 ECVP Abstract Supplement

Constructing the prototype face

M K Yamaguchi

I investigated the infants' preference for mother's face and how the prototype face is constructed by infants' early visual experience. My hypothesis is that the prototype face is constructed by the sum of their visual experience, and in natural situation mother's face dominates over this prototype face. If this hypothesis is true, infants prefer the average family face to the mother's face.

In order to test this hypothesis photographic CG images have been made of the average family face, the caricatured mother's face, and the anti-caricatured mother's face. I have tested infants' preference for these faces during a 10-month period. Results showed that there were two different developmental stages in recognising familiar faces, the first stage was at around 3 months of age, and the second stage at around 10 months of age.

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