Abstract
View-specific face neurons occur in monkey and human cortex, but it remains unclear whether these code face shape. We tested the view-specificity of face shape coding by inducing figural face aftereffects at one viewpoint (3/4 left) and testing generalization to different viewpoints (front-view and 3/4 right). The aftereffects are induced by adaptation to consistent figural distortions (contracted or expanded), which shift the distortion perceived as most normal toward the adapting distortion. A strong aftereffect was observed at the adapting view, which was significantly and substantially reduced for front-view test faces, indicating view-specificity. For mirror image (3/4 right) test faces, the opposite aftereffect was observed, which cannot be accommodated by a view-independent account of face shape coding. The aftereffects survived a size change between adapt and test faces (Experiment 2), ruling out low-level adaptation. We further demonstrated view-specificity by inducing figural aftereffects that were contingent on viewpoint (Experiment 3). Simultaneous adaptation to contracted faces at 30 degree right views and expanded faces at one of the following views, 30 degrees left, front view, 30 degrees right, 60 degrees right, 90 degrees right or no contingency, produced view-contingent aftereffects in 30 degree right test faces that reduced as the expanded adapting viewpoint approached test viewpoint. These results provide strong evidence that face shape coding is view-specific, with broad tuning for view.
This research was supported by an Australian Research Council Grant to G. Rhodes