Cited by 340Face Recognition and PerceptionFace recognition and analysisFace and Expression Recognition

A meta-analysis and review of holistic face processing.

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Richler, Jennifer J., Gauthier, Isabel·2014·Psychological Bulletin

Abstract

The concept of holistic processing is a cornerstone of face recognition research, yet central questions related to holistic processing remain unanswered, and debates have thus far failed to reach a resolution despite accumulating empirical evidence. We argue that a considerable source of confusion in this literature stems from a methodological problem. Specifically, 2 measures of holistic processing based on the composite paradigm (complete design and partial design) are used in the literature, but they often lead to qualitatively different results. First, we present a comprehensive review of the work that directly compares the 2 designs, and which clearly favors the complete design over the partial design. Second, we report a meta-analysis of holistic face processing according to both designs and use this as further evidence for one design over the other. The meta-analysis effect size of holistic processing in the complete design is nearly 3 times that of the partial design. Effect sizes were not correlated between measures, consistent with the suggestion that they do not measure the same thing. Our meta-analysis also examines the correlation between conditions in the complete design of the composite task, and suggests that in an individual differences context, little is gained by including a misaligned baseline. Finally, we offer a comprehensive review of the state of knowledge about holistic processing based on evidence gathered from the measure we favor based on the 1st sections of our review-the complete design-and outline outstanding research questions in that new context.

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  1. Butko NJ Fasel I Movellan JR Learning about humans during the first 6 minutes of life International Conference on Development and Learning Indiana 2006
  2. Rossion B Gauthier I Tarr MJ Despland PA Bruyer R Linotte S Crommelinck M The N170 occipito-temporal component is enhanced and delayed to inverted faces but not to inverted objects: An electrophysiological account of face-specific processes in the human brain Neuroreport 2000 11 69 74 10683832

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Authors
Richler, J. J., & Gauthier, I.
Affiliations
Vanderbilt University (US)
Venue
Psychological Bulletin
Published
2014
Volume
140
Issue
5
Pages
1281-1302
ISSN
  • 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1455
OpenAlex
W2085435393
Cited by
340
References
146
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 2
FWCI
12.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Eye Institute (2 R01 EY013441-06A2)
  • National Science Foundation (SBE-0542013)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Face recognition and analysis
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Face and Expression Recognition
Keywords
holistic face processing, face recognition (cognition), partial design, individual differences, face perception
MeSH terms
Face, Facial Expression, Humans, Individuality, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Perception, Recognition, Psychology

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