Seeing face-like objects: an event-related potential study

Abstract

The N170 event-related potential component is larger to faces than to other objects but also varies in amplitude between non-face objects. This study investigated the hypotheses that these differences are related to the perceived face-likeness of the objects. Event-related potentials were recorded from 18 participants who classified objects as 'face like' or 'non-face like'. Images of actual faces were also presented. The N170 was larger (more negative) to objects classified as face like than to those classified as non-face like. These data suggest that the amplitude of the N170 to objects is affected by the face-likeness of the objects.