Compared with notable successes in the genetics of basic sensory transduction, progress on higher level perception and cognition has been limited. We propose that investigating specific cognitive abilities well-defined neural substrates, such as face recognition, may yield additional insights. In a twin study we found correlation scores between monozygotic twins (0.70) was more than double dizygotic (0.29), evidence for high genetic contribution to recognition ability. Low correlations...

It has been difficult to determine how cognitive systems change over the grand time scale of an entire life, as few are well enough understood; observable in infants, adolescents, and adults; simple measure empower comparisons across vastly different ages. Here we address this challenge with data from more than 10,000 participants ranging 11 85 years age investigate precision basic numerical intuitions their relation students’ performance school mathematics lifespan. We all share a...

Normal and abnormal differences in sustained visual attention have long been of interest to scientists, educators, clinicians. Still lacking, however, is a clear understanding how varies across the broad sweep human life span. In present study, we filled this gap two ways. First, using an unprecedentedly large 10,430-person sample, modeled age-related with substantially greater precision than prior efforts. Second, recently developed gradual-onset continuous performance test (gradCPT),...

Face recognition is thought to rely on specific mechanisms underlying a perceptual bias toward processing faces as undecomposable wholes. This face-specific "holistic processing" commonly quantified using 3 measures: the inversion, part-whole, and composite effects. Consequently, many researchers assume that these effects measure same cognitive mechanism(s) contribute wide range of individual differences seen in face ability. We test assumptions large sample (N = 282), with abilities...

Proper characterization of each individual's unique pattern strengths and weaknesses requires good measures diverse abilities. Here, we advocate combining our growing understanding neural cognitive mechanisms with modern psychometric methods in a renewed effort to capture human individuality through consideration specific We articulate five criteria for the isolation measurement abilities, then apply these face recognition. cleanly dissociate recognition from more general visual verbal This...

Given the vital role face recognition plays in human social interaction, variations this ability hold inherent interest and potential consequence. Yet science of such differences has long lagged behind that other cognitive domains. In particular, although scattered case reports catastrophic face-recognition deficits due to brain damage date back more than a century, for many decades, virtually no attention was paid naturally occurring individual recognition. This past decade, contrast, seen...

Abstract Because holistic processing is a hallmark of normal face recognition, we ask whether such reduced in developmental prosopagnosia (DP), and, if so, what the sources are this deficit. Existing literature provides mixed picture, with inversion effects showing consistent deficits but unable to locate their source and some composite studies not. We addressed issue more thoroughly very large sample DPs (N = 38) performing part–whole task, well-accepted measure that allows for separate...

People evaluate a stranger’s trustworthiness from their facial features in fraction of second, despite common advice “not to judge book by its cover.” Evaluations have critical and widespread social impact, predicting financial lending, mate selection, even criminal justice outcomes. Consequently, understanding how people perceive faces has been major focus scientific inquiry, detailed models explain consensus impressions are driven attributes. However, impression do not consider variation...

Abstract Decreased estrogens during menopause are associated with increased risk of anxiety, depression, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Similarly, depleting in rodents by ovariectomy, combined a high-fat diet (HFD), increases anxiety adiposity. How interact to affect metabolism is poorly understood. Mounting evidence indicates that gut microbiota influence metabolism. Here, we investigated the effects estradiol (E) HFD on metabolism, their correlation changes female mice. Adult C57BL/6J mice...

The emotional dot-probe task is a widely used measure of attentional bias to threat. Recent work suggests, however, that subtraction-based behavioral measures performance may not be appropriate for measuring such biases because poor reliability. In the two current studies, we systematically tested 36 versions varied in stimuli (faces, scenes, snakes/spiders), timing (stimulus onset asynchrony 100 ms, 500 900 ms), stimulus orientation (horizontal, vertical), and trial types (e.g., threat...

This paper is a call for greater use of individual differences in the basic science visual perception. Individual yield insights into perception's functional organization, underlying biological/environmental mechanisms, and utility. I first explain general approach advocated where it comes from. Second, describe five principles central to learning about nature perception through differences. Third, elaborate on gain three areas mentioned above (function, biology/environment, utility), each...

Individuals are consistently better at recognizing own-race faces compared to other-race (other-race effect, ORE). One popular hypothesis is that this recognition memory ORE caused by differential own- and holistic processing, the simultaneous integration of part configural face information into a coherent whole. Holistic processing may create more rich, detailed representation faces. Despite several studies showing processed holistically than faces, have yet link ORE. In current study, we...

Abstract Can an inclusive test of face cognition meet or exceed the psychometric properties a prominent less test? Here, we norm and validate updated version influential Reading Mind in Eyes Test (RMET), clinically significant neuropsychiatric paradigm that has long been used to assess theory mind social cognition. Unlike RMET, our Multiracial (MRMET) incorporates racially stimuli, nongendered answer choices, ground-truth referenced answers, more accessible vocabulary. We show, via series...

Sustained attentional control is critical for everyday tasks and success in school employment. Understanding gender differences sustained control, their potential sources, an important goal of psychology neuroscience great relevance to society. We used a large web-based sample (n = 21,484, from testmybrain.org) examine control. Our included participants 41 countries, allowing us how each country relate national indices equality. found significant certain aspects Using equality, we that...

Face emotion perception is important for social functioning and mental health. In addition to recognizing categories of face emotion, accurate relies on the ability detect subtle differences in intensity. The primary aim this study was examine participants' discriminate intensity facial emotions (emotion sensitivity: ES) three psychometrically matched ES tasks (fear, anger, or happiness), identify developmental changes sensitivity across lifespan. We predicted that increased age would be...

Abstract Developmental dyslexia is associated with deficits in the processing of visual motion stimuli, and some evidence suggests that these are related to various reading subskills deficits. However, little known about mechanisms underlying such associations. This study lays a richer groundwork for exploration by more comprehensively rigorously characterizing relationship between Thirty-six adult participants, 19 whom had history developmental dyslexia, completed battery visual, cognitive,...

Basic intellectual abilities of quantity and numerosity estimation have been detected across animal species. Such are referred to as 'number sense'. For human species, individual differences in number sense detectable early life, persist later development, relate general intelligence. The origins these unknown. To address this question, we conducted the first large-scale genetically sensitive investigation sense, assessing discrimination 837 pairs monozygotic 1422 dizygotic 16-year-old twin...