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The Human Fetus Preferentially Engages with Face-like Visual Stimuli
Open accessAbstract
In the third trimester of pregnancy, the human fetus has the capacity to process perceptual information [1-3]. With advances in 4D ultrasound technology, detailed assessment of fetal behavior [4] is now possible. Furthermore, modeling of intrauterine conditions has indicated a substantially greater luminance within the uterus than previously thought [5]. Consequently, light conveying perceptual content could be projected through the uterine wall and perceived by the fetus, dependent on how light interfaces with maternal tissue. We do know that human infants at birth show a preference to engage with a top-heavy, face-like stimulus when contrasted with all other forms of stimuli [6, 7]. However, the viability of performing such an experiment based on visual stimuli projected through the uterine wall with fetal participants is not currently known. We examined fetal head turns to visually presented upright and inverted face-like stimuli. Here we show that the fetus in the third trimester of pregnancy is more likely to engage with upright configural stimuli when contrasted to inverted visual stimuli, in a manner similar to results with newborn participants. The current study suggests that postnatal experience is not required for this preference. In addition, we describe a new method whereby it is possible to deliver specific visual stimuli to the fetus. This new technique provides an important new pathway for the assessment of prenatal visual perceptual capacities.
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“Human infants show sensitivity to faces even before being exposed to them (58, 59)”
From Deepfake detection by human crowds, machines, and machine-informed crowds (2022) · cites this paper as [59]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Reid, V. M., Dunn, K., Young, R. J., Amu, J., Donovan, T., & Reissland, N.
- Affiliations
- Lancaster University (GB)
- University of Cumbria (GB)
- Durham University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Reid, Vincent M.
- Venue
- Current Biology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-06
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1825-1828.e3
- ISSN
- 0960-9822 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2622549106
- Cited by
- 421
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 43 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 63 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 69 · 2019: 56 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 10
- FWCI
- 30.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Current Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Durham Research Online (Durham University) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Insight (University of Cumbria) (acceptedVersion)
- Durham Research Online (Durham University) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) (submittedVersion)
- Durham Research Online (Durham University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Economic and Social Research Council Transformative Research Grant (ES/L003155/1)
- Economic and Social Research Council (ES/L008955/1)
- Royal Society (UF110555)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
- Keywords
- face preference, 4D ultrasound, upright vs inverted faces
- MeSH terms
- Female, Fetus, Humans, Male, Photic Stimulation, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, Third, Visual Perception
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