Processing of Internal and External Features in Face Perception

Faces are extraordinarily rich sources of§information, revealing a person s identity, emotions,§or intentions. Apart from biological and social§relevance, empirical data suggest that processing§mechanisms involved in face perception are different§from those mediating other classes of objects. In§three studies presented here mechanisms involved in§face perception were examined by identifying§processing paths activated by internal (eyes,§eyebrows, nose, mouth) and external (hair, head and§face outline, ears) facial features. Based on the§evidence gained in the studies it was possible to tap§distinct processing paths for internal and external§features, and to draw conclusions about their§interaction in producing a facial percept. By§identifying temporal intervals for global featural§information on the one hand, and detailed featural§and configural information on the other, evidence for§hypothetical processing stages, separated by temporal§order, has been found. The results point to the§existence of distinct modes of face processing, and§contribute to the current debate about the role of§featural and configural facial information, with§weight laid on the time course of perception.