Show me your eyes: Evidence from Williams syndrome

Abstract

We assessed identity matching ability using whole-face images and faces with the upper face eye region covered by sunglasses (Experiment 1) or the lower face region covered by a scarf (Experiment 2) in typically developing individuals and those with Williams syndrome (WS). The study questioned whether access to eye or mouth information was critical to processing identity. In Experiment 1, WS participants (n=19) performed less accurately than typically developing participants and on trials with the eye region occluded they produced significantly prolonged reaction times. In Experiment 2, participants with WS (n=13) performed less accurately than individuals developing typically and on trials with the mouth region covered there was no group different in reaction times. Access to the eye region is particularly important in WS and reaction time analyses suggest atypical processing strategies when faces have the eye region, but not the mouth region, covered.

Keywords:

• Eyes
• Face perception
• Social cognition
• Williams syndrome

Acknowledgements

This research was partly supported by funds from the Williams syndrome Foundation and the Nuffield Foundation. The author would like to thank Adam Combie for help with data collection for the WS sample in Experiment 1, Nicola Jones for help with Experiment 2, and all the families, children, and schools who participated.

Notes

¹It should be noted that some caution is required when making comparisons across experiments due to different participants taking part; for this reason the discussion focuses on the difference between the WS and matched TD groups for each task, rather than analysing or discussing the relative cost of covering the eyes or mouth for each participant.