Publications by category
Journal articles
McCourt S, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2023). Changing face contours reduces the inversion effect and overall recognition performance. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 4, 100115-100115.
Civile C (2023). Manipulating the face contour reduces overall recognition performance for scrambled faces. Cognitive Science Society, 45, 1914-1920.
Civile C, McLaren I (2023). Modulating perceptual learning indexed by the Face Inversion Effect: Simulating the application of transcranial Direct Current
Stimulation (tDCS) using the MKM Model. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 49, 139-150.
Civile C (2022). Investigating the Composite Effect in prototype-defined checkerboards vs. faces. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Toronto, ON: Cognitive Science Society
Civile C (2022). Manipulating the face contour affects face recognition performance leaving the Face Inversion Effect unaltered. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Toronto, ON: Cognitive Science Society.
Civile C, McLaren I (2022). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) eliminates the Other-Race Effect (ORE) indexed by the Face Inversion Effect for own vs other-race faces.
Scientific ReportsAbstract:
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) eliminates the Other-Race Effect (ORE) indexed by the Face Inversion Effect for own vs other-race faces
We investigate here individuals’ reduced ability to recognise faces from other racial backgrounds, a robust phenomenon named the other-race effect (ORE). In this literature the term “race” is used to refer to visually distinct ethnic groups. In our study, we will refer to two of such groups: Western Caucasian (also known as White European) and East Asian e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Korean. This study applied the tDCS procedure (double-blind, 10mins duration, 1.5mA intensity, targeting Fp3 location), we have developed in the perceptual learning literature, specifically used to remove the expertise component of the face inversion effect (FIE), which consists of higher recognition performance for upright than inverted faces. In the tDCS-sham condition (N=48) we find a robust ORE i.e. significantly larger FIE for own vs other-race faces due to higher performance for upright own-race faces. Critically, in the anodal-tDCS condition (N=48) the FIE for own-race faces was significantly reduced compared to sham due to impaired performance for upright faces thus eliminating the cross-race interaction index of the ORE. Our results support the major role that perceptual expertise, manifesting through perceptual learning, has in determining the ORE indexed by the FIE.
Abstract.
Civile C, McLaren I (2022). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to influence decision criterion in a target detection paradigm. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition
Johnson T, McLaren R, Civile C, McLaren IPL (2021). Dual processes on dual dimensions: Associative and propositionally-mediated discrimination and peak shift. In T. Fitch, C. Lamm, H. Leder, & K. Teßmar-Raible (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 3136-3142.
McLaren R, Civile C, McLaren I (2021). Latent Inhibition in Young Children: a Developmental Effect?. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 47, 63-73.
McCourt S, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2021). Perceptual processes of face recognition: Single feature orientation and holistic information contribute to the face inversion effect. In T. Fitch, C. Lamm, H. Leder, & K. Teßmar-Raible (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 728-734.
Delameter A, Civile C, McLaren I (2021). Special Issue on Recent Advances in Perceptual Learning: Editorial. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 47, 1-3.
Civile C, McLaren R, Milton F, McLaren I (2021). The Effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Perceptual Learning for Upright Faces and its Role in the Composite Face Effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 47, 74-90.
Waguri E, McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2021). Using prototype-defined checkerboards to investigate the mechanisms contributing to the Composite Face Effect. In T. Fitch, C. Lamm, H. Leder, & K. Teßmar-Raible (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 1236-1242.
Civile C, Quaglia S, Waguri E, Ward M, McLaren R, McLaren I (2021). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to investigate why Faces are and are Not Special. Scientific Reports
Civile C (2020). A novel target detection task using artificial stimuli: the effect of familiarity. Proceedings of the 42st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 3349-3355.
Civile C, Chamizo VD, Artigas A, McLaren IPL (2020). Directional cue and landmark configurations: the effect of rotating one set of landmarks relative to another. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition
Civile C, Waguri E, Quaglia S, Wooster B, Curtis A, McLaren R, Lavric A, McLaren I (2020). Testing the effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on the Face Inversion Effect and the N170 Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) component. Neuropsychologia
Civile C (2020). Testing the immediate effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on face recognition skills. Proceedings of the 42st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 1141-1147.
Civile C, Cooke A, Liu X, McLaren R, Elchlepp H, Lavric A, Milton F, McLaren I (2020). The effect of tDCS on recognition depends on stimulus generalization: Neuro-stimulation can predictably enhance or reduce the face inversion effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 46, 83-98.
McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2019). Pre-exposure and learning in young children: Evidence of latent inhibition?. In A.K. Goel, C.M. Seifert, & C. Freska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Montreal, QB: Cognitive Science Society., 2332-2337.
Humsani SA, Civile C, McLaren IPL (2019). The impact of meta-memory judgements on undergraduates’ learning and memory performance. In A.K. Goel, C.M. Seifert, & C. Freska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Montreal, QB: Cognitive Science Society., 1527-1532.
Civile C, Wooster B, Curtis A, McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Lavric A (2019). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to modulate the face inversion effect on the N170 ERP component. In A.K. Goel, C.M. Seifert, & C. Freska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Montreal, QB: Cognitive Science Society., 1527-1532.
Civile C, McLaren R, McLaren IPL (2018). How We can Change Your Mind: Anodal tDCS to Fp3 alters human stimulus representation and learning. Neuropsychologia
Civile C, Colvin E, Siddiqui H, Sukhvinder O (2018). Labelling faces as “Autistic” reduces the Inversion Effect. Autism, 23, 1596-1600.
Civile C, Obhi SS, McLaren IPL (2018). The Role of Experience-based Perceptual Learning in the Face Inversion Effect. Vision Research, 157, 84-88.
Civile C, Elchlepp H, McLaren RP, Galang CM, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2018). The effect of scrambling upright and inverted faces on the N170. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
Civile C, Obhi SS (2017). Students wearing police uniforms exhibit biased attention toward individuals wearing hoodies.
Frontiers in Psychology,
8(FEB).
Abstract:
Students wearing police uniforms exhibit biased attention toward individuals wearing hoodies
Police provide an essential public service and they often operate in difficult circumstances, requiring high-speed cognition. Recent incidents involving apparent profiling and aggressive behavior have led to accusations that the police are sometimes biased. Given that previous research has shown a link between clothing and cognition, we investigated the question of whether the police uniform itself might induce a bias in social attention. To address this question, and using a Canadian university student sample, we assessed whether wearing a police uniform biases attention toward black faces compared to white faces, and low-status individuals compared to high-status individuals. In Experiment 1 (n = 28), participants wore either a police-style uniform or mechanic overalls, and performed a shape categorization task in the presence of a distractor that could be either: a black face, a white face, a person wearing a hoodie (whom we propose will be associated with low SES), or a person wearing a suit (whom we propose will be associated with high SES). Participants wearing the police-style uniform exhibited biased attention, indexed by slower reaction times (RTs), in the presence of low-SES images. In Experiment 2 (n = 28), we confirmed this bias using a modified Dot-Probe task - an alternate measure of attentional bias in which we observed faster RTs to a dot probe that was spatially aligned with a low SES image. Experiment 3 (n = 56) demonstrated that attentional bias toward low-SES targets appears only when participants wear the police-style uniform, and not when they are simply exposed to it - by having it placed on the desk in front of them. Our results demonstrate that wearing a police-style uniform biases attention toward low-SES targets. Thus, wearing a police-style uniform may induce a kind of "status-profiling" in which individuals from low-status groups become salient and capture attention. We note that our results are limited to university students and that it will be important to extend them to members of the community and law-enforcement officers. We discuss how uniforms might exert their effects on cognition by virtue of the power and cultural associations they evoke in the wearer.
Abstract.
Civile C, Obhi S, McLaren IPL (2017). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and the Face Inversion Effect: Anodal stimulation at Fp3 reduces recognition for upright faces. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society., 1782-1787.
McLaren IPL, Carpenter K, Civile C, McLaren R, Zhao D, Milton F, Verbruggen F (2016). Categorisation and Perceptual Learning: Why tDCS to Left DLPC enhances generalisation. Associative Learning and Cognition. Homage to Prof. N.J. Mackintosh. Trobalon, J.B. and Chamizo, V.D. (Eds.), University of Barcelona., 37-67.
Civile C, Obhi SS (2016). Power Eliminates the Influence of Body Posture on Facial Emotion Recognition.
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior,
40(4), 283-299.
Abstract:
Power Eliminates the Influence of Body Posture on Facial Emotion Recognition
We investigated how power priming affects facial emotion recognition in the context of body postures conveying the same or different emotion. Facial emotions are usually recognized better when the face is presented with a congruent body posture, and recognized worse when the body posture is incongruent. In our study, we primed participants to either low, high, or neutral power prior to their performance in a facial-emotion categorization task in which faces were presented together with a congruent or incongruent body posture. Facial emotion recognition in high-power participants was not affected by body posture. In contrast, low-power and neutral-power participants were significantly affected by the congruence of facial and body emotions. Specifically, these participants displayed better facial emotion recognition when the body posture was congruent, and worse performance when the body posture was incongruent. In a following task, we trained the same participants to categorize two sets of novel checkerboard stimuli and then engaged them in a recognition test involving compounds of these stimuli. High, low, and neutral-power participants all showed a strong congruence effect for compound checkerboard stimuli. We discuss our results with reference to the literature on power and social perception.
Abstract.
Civile C, Rajagobal A, Obhi SS (2016). Power, Ethnic Origin, and Sexual Objectification.
SAGE Open,
6(2).
Abstract:
Power, Ethnic Origin, and Sexual Objectification
In this study, we investigated the effects of primed power on sexual objectification of Caucasian and Asian men and women. As in previous studies, sexual objectification was assessed using an inversion paradigm with face–body compound stimuli. Previous work has shown that participants primed to power do not show the typical drop in recognition performance for inverted face–body compound stimuli, suggesting that they process these stimuli in terms of their individual features, in a manner akin to objects, and quite different from the way in which faces and bodies are normally processed (i.e. configurally). Caucasian male and female participants were primed to high or neutral-power before engaging in an old/new recognition task involving sexualized face–body compound images of Caucasian and Asian men and women. Participants primed to high-power showed a decreased inversion effect for Caucasian models of the opposite gender, but not for Asian models. Thus, power exerts different effects on this specific type of social perception, depending on the ethnic origin of the target. We discuss our results in the context of the extant literature on power and with reference to media stereotyping of Caucasians and Asians.
Abstract.
Civile C, Obhi, S.S. (2016). Power, Objectification, and Ethnicity. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 70, 359-359.
Civile C, Obhi SS (2016). Power, Objectification, and Recognition of Sexualized Women and Men.
Psychology of Women Quarterly,
40(2), 199-212.
Abstract:
Power, Objectification, and Recognition of Sexualized Women and Men
In contemporary society, sexual objectification is usually thought of as something that men do to women. However, this notion risks conflating the gender of the perpetrator with the fact that men often hold more social power than women. In the current study, we investigated whether power itself was associated with changes in processing of sexualized human targets, independent of the gender of the power holder. In Experiment 1, we primed separate groups of female participants to high-, low-, or neutral-power. We then engaged them in a recognition task involving upright or inverted sexualized images of men and women. Previous research using stimulus inversion manipulations has found that inversion of faces/bodies, but not of objects, disrupts recognition performance, suggesting a reliance on more configural processing in face/body perception compared to object perception. We found that women primed to high-power did not show an inversion effect for sexualized men but did show an inversion effect for sexualized women. In contrast, women primed to low-power showed an inversion effect for sexualized men and women. In Experiment 2, we replicated this finding and found a similar effect of power for male participants perceiving sexualized images of women. We discuss our results with reference to the literatures on objectification and the cognitive processes involved in the perception of sexualized men and women. Our study provides seminal evidence that power, rather than gender per se, may play a central role in sexual objectification. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available to PWQ subscribers on PWQ's website at http://pwq.sagepub.com/supplemental
Abstract.
Civile C, Verbruggen, McLaren, Zhao D, Ku Y, McLaren IPL (2016). Switching off perceptual learning: tDCS to left DLPFC eliminates perceptual learning in humans. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 290-296.
Civile C, McLaren R, McLaren IPL (2016). The Face Inversion Effect: Roles of First and Second-Order Configural Information.
The American Journal of Psychology,
129(1), 23-35.
Abstract:
The Face Inversion Effect: Roles of First and Second-Order Configural Information
Abstract
. the face inversion effect (fie) is a reduction in recognition performance for inverted faces compared with upright faces. several studies have proposed that a type of configural information, called second- order relational information, becomes more important with increasing expertise and gives rise to the fie. However, recently it has been demonstrated that it is possible to obtain an fie with facial features presented in isolation, showing that configural information is not necessary for this effect to occur. in this article we test whether there is a role for configural information in producing the fie and whether second- or first- order relational information is particularly important. in experiment 1, we investigated the role of configural information and local feature orientation by using a new type of “thatcherizing” transformation on our set of faces, aiming to disrupt second-order and local feature orientation information but keeping all first- order properties unaltered. the results showed a significant reduction in the fie for these “new” thatcherized faces, but it did not entirely disappear. experiment 2 confirmed the fie for new thatcherized faces, and experiment 3 establishes that both local feature orientation and first-order relational information have a role in determining the fie.
Abstract.
Civile C, Obhi SS (2015). Towards a mechanistic understanding of the effects of body posture on facial emotion categorization.
American Journal of Psychology,
128(3), 367-377.
Abstract:
Towards a mechanistic understanding of the effects of body posture on facial emotion categorization
This study investigated the causes of the face-body congruence effect (FBCE), which refers to the advantage in performance when participants are asked to categorize emotional faces compounded with emotional matching body postures (congruent) compared with incongruent face-body compound stimuli (body postures mismatching the facial emotions). Experiment 1 showed that manipulations aiming to alter holistic processing significantly reduced the FBCE. In particular, the disruption of holistic processing affected significantly the performance for congruent composites. However, no effect was obtained on the incongruent stimuli. In Experiment 2, the inversion manipulation showed a clear disadvantage for incongruent stimuli brought by the disruption of the single feature orientation information. Thus, we found confirmation of the different processing involved in perceiving congruent and incongruent stimuli. Finally, Experiment 3 confirmed that we are able to reduce entirely the FBCE when the orientation of the units (the face and the body) constituting the incongruent composites is matched.
Abstract.
Civile C, Zhao D, Ku Y, Elchlepp H, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2014). Perceptual learning and inversion effects: Recognition of prototype-defined familiar checkerboards.
J Exp Psychol Anim Learn Cogn,
40(2), 144-161.
Abstract:
Perceptual learning and inversion effects: Recognition of prototype-defined familiar checkerboards.
The face inversion effect is a defection in performance in recognizing inverted faces compared with faces presented in their usual upright orientation typically believed to be specific for facial stimuli. McLaren (1997) was able to demonstrate that (a) an inversion effect could be obtained with exemplars drawn from a familiar category, such that upright exemplars were better discriminated than inverted exemplars; and (b) that the inversion effect required that the familiar category be prototype-defined. In this article, we replicate and extend these findings. We show that the inversion effect can be obtained in a standard old/new recognition memory paradigm, demonstrate that it is contingent on familiarization with a prototype-defined category, and establish that the effect is made up of two components. We confirm the advantage for upright exemplars drawn from a familiar, prototype-defined category, and show that there is a disadvantage for inverted exemplars drawn from this category relative to suitable controls. We also provide evidence that there is an N170 event-related potential signature for this effect. These results allow us to integrate a theory of perceptual learning originally proposed by McLaren, Kaye, and Mackintosh (1989) with explanations of the face inversion effect, first reported by Yin.
Abstract.
Author URL.
Civile C, Chamizo VD, Mackintosh NJ, McLaren IPL (2014). The effect of disrupting configural information on rats' performance in the Morris water maze.
Learning and MotivationAbstract:
The effect of disrupting configural information on rats' performance in the Morris water maze
Many experiments on spatial navigation suggest that a rat uses the configuration of extra-maze landmarks to guide its choice of arm or location to visit. In the present study, based on Chamizo Rodríguez, Espinet, and Mackintosh's (2012) navigation paradigm, we conducted a series of experiments in which we focused on how changes to the configuration of stimuli surrounding the maze, implemented by transposing the location of both near and far landmarks, significantly affected rats' performance (Experiment1, Test Phase 1). Subsequent tests demonstrated that it was the near landmarks that played the major role in this navigation task (Experiment 1, Test Phases 2 and 3). Experiment 2 provided evidence for a novel type of inversion effect in the water maze, by showing that rotation by 180° of the location of one set of landmarks relative to a directional cue also strongly affected performance. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Abstract.
Civile C, McLaren RP, McLaren IPL (2014). The face inversion effect--parts and wholes: individual features and their configuration.
Q J Exp Psychol (Hove),
67(4), 728-746.
Abstract:
The face inversion effect--parts and wholes: individual features and their configuration.
The face inversion effect (FIE) is a reduction in recognition performance for inverted faces (compared to upright faces) that is greater than that typically observed with other stimulus types (e.g. houses). The work of Diamond and Carey, suggests that a special type of configural information, "second-order relational information" is critical in generating this inversion effect. However, Tanaka and Farah concluded that greater reliance on second-order relational information did not directly result in greater sensitivity to inversion, and they suggested that the FIE is not entirely due to a reliance on this type of configural information. A more recent review by McKone and Yovel provides a meta-analysis that makes a similar point. In this paper, we investigated the contributions made by configural and featural information to the FIE. Experiments 1a and1b investigated the link between configural information and the FIE. Remarkably, Experiment 1b showed that disruption of all configural information of the type considered in Diamond and Carey's analysis (both first and second order) was effective in reducing recognition performance, but did not significantly impact on the FIE. Experiments 2 and 3 revealed that face processing is affected by the orientation of individual features and that this plays a major role in producing the FIE. The FIE was only completely eliminated when we disrupted the single feature orientation information in addition to the configural information, by using a new type of transformation similar to Thatcherizing our sets of scrambled faces. We conclude by noting that our results for scrambled faces are consistent with an account that has recognition performance entirely determined by the proportion of upright facial features within a stimulus, and that any ability to make use of the spatial configuration of these features seems to benefit upright and inverted normal faces alike.
Abstract.
Author URL.
Civile C, Elchlepp H, McLaren R, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2012). Face recognition and brain potentials: Disruption of configural information reduces the face inversion effect. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society., 1422-1427.
Civile C, Elchlepp H, McLaren R, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2012). The face inversion effect and evoked brain potentials: Complete loss of configural information affects the N170. Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society, 1416-1421.
Civile C, McLaren R, McLaren IPL (2011). Perceptual learning and face recognition: Disruption of second-order relational information reduces the face inversion effect. In L. Carlson, C. Hoelscher, & T.F. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society., 2083-2088.
McLaren IPL, Civile C (2011). Perceptual learning for a familiar category under inversion: an analogue of face inversion?. In L. Carlson, C. Hoelscher, & T.F. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society, 3320-3325.
Conferences
Humsani SAH, Civile C, McLaren IPL (2019). The Impact of Meta-memory Judgments on Undergraduate's Learning and Memory Performance.
Abstract:
The Impact of Meta-memory Judgments on Undergraduate's Learning and Memory Performance
Abstract.
Civile C, Wooster B, Curtis A, McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Lavric A (2019). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to modulate the face inversion effect on the N170 ERP component.
Abstract:
Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to modulate the face inversion effect on the N170 ERP component
Abstract.
Civile C, Elchlepp, McLaren RP, Lavric, McLaren IPL (2012). The face inversion effect and evoked brain potentials: Complete loss of configural information affects the N170. Cognitive Science. 1st - 1st Jan 2012.
Publications by year
2023
McCourt S, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2023). Changing face contours reduces the inversion effect and overall recognition performance. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 4, 100115-100115.
Civile C (2023). Manipulating the face contour reduces overall recognition performance for scrambled faces. Cognitive Science Society, 45, 1914-1920.
Civile C, McLaren I (2023). Modulating perceptual learning indexed by the Face Inversion Effect: Simulating the application of transcranial Direct Current
Stimulation (tDCS) using the MKM Model. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 49, 139-150.
2022
Waguri E (2022). Changing the question “Are faces special?” to “In what way are faces special?” : an investigation of face recognition and perceptual learning.
Abstract:
Changing the question “Are faces special?” to “In what way are faces special?” : an investigation of face recognition and perceptual learning.
This thesis investigates the new possibility that both expertise and face specific mechanisms play a role in face recognition, which have conventionally been treated as two contending notions competing with one another (e.g. Yin, 1969, Diamond & Carey, 1986). Results will be provided from behavioral and transcranial-Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) experiments using face stimuli and prototype-defined checkerboard stimuli that have been used in a line of research that has demonstrated a role for expertise via perceptual learning in face recognition (McLaren, 1997; Civile, Zhao, et al. 2014; Civile, Verbruggen, et al. 2016; Civile, McLaren, et al. 2018). Each of the 7 chapters in this thesis contribute to the further understanding of the role perceptual learning plays in face recognition, and the extent to which face specific processing is additionally involved. Chapter 1 discusses the background literature and key theories/debates in the face recognition research to set the scene. Chapter 2 compares the effects of tDCS on the face inversion and checkerboard inversion effect. It was this difference in the tDCS-induced decrement in the inversion effect between the two stimuli that instigated the suggestion of an additional component alongside perceptual learning, that is possibly face specific. The experiments reported here contributed to Civile, Quaglia, Waguri, Ward, McLaren, and McLaren (2021). Chapter 3 sets out to identify what the face specific component is, and whether this could be attributed to configural/holistic processing as indexed by the composite face effect. As a first step in testing this, the congruency effect (a component of the composite effect) was investigated with checkerboard stimuli. This experiment contributed to Waguri, McLaren, McLaren, and Civile, (2021). Chapter 4 extends the work in Chapter 3, and sets out to comparatively investigate the composite effect in checkerboards and faces. This work contributed to Waguri, McLaren, McLaren, and Civile (2022). Chapter 5 investigated the role of proactive interference, as this was found to be contributing to the results on the composite effect in Chapter 4. This was investigated via the inversion effect and assessed to see if it would affect the perceptual learning interpretation of the role tDCS plays in modulating face recognition. Chapter 6 explores the behavioral and electrophysiological effects of the tDCS procedure (as used in Chapter 2). in circumstances where harmful generalization induced by Thatcherized faces has influenced the inversion effect for “normal” faces. This work contributed to Civile, Waguri, McLaren, Cooke, and McLaren, (under review). Finally, Chapter 7 summarizes the chapters and discuss the implications of the work for the face recognition literature and the key debates regarding the underlying mechanisms.
Abstract.
Civile C (2022). Investigating the Composite Effect in prototype-defined checkerboards vs. faces. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Toronto, ON: Cognitive Science Society
Civile C (2022). Manipulating the face contour affects face recognition performance leaving the Face Inversion Effect unaltered. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Toronto, ON: Cognitive Science Society.
Civile C, McLaren I (2022). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) eliminates the Other-Race Effect (ORE) indexed by the Face Inversion Effect for own vs other-race faces.
Scientific ReportsAbstract:
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) eliminates the Other-Race Effect (ORE) indexed by the Face Inversion Effect for own vs other-race faces
We investigate here individuals’ reduced ability to recognise faces from other racial backgrounds, a robust phenomenon named the other-race effect (ORE). In this literature the term “race” is used to refer to visually distinct ethnic groups. In our study, we will refer to two of such groups: Western Caucasian (also known as White European) and East Asian e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Korean. This study applied the tDCS procedure (double-blind, 10mins duration, 1.5mA intensity, targeting Fp3 location), we have developed in the perceptual learning literature, specifically used to remove the expertise component of the face inversion effect (FIE), which consists of higher recognition performance for upright than inverted faces. In the tDCS-sham condition (N=48) we find a robust ORE i.e. significantly larger FIE for own vs other-race faces due to higher performance for upright own-race faces. Critically, in the anodal-tDCS condition (N=48) the FIE for own-race faces was significantly reduced compared to sham due to impaired performance for upright faces thus eliminating the cross-race interaction index of the ORE. Our results support the major role that perceptual expertise, manifesting through perceptual learning, has in determining the ORE indexed by the FIE.
Abstract.
Civile C, McLaren I (2022). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to influence decision criterion in a target detection paradigm. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition
2021
Johnson T, McLaren R, Civile C, McLaren IPL (2021). Dual processes on dual dimensions: Associative and propositionally-mediated discrimination and peak shift. In T. Fitch, C. Lamm, H. Leder, & K. Teßmar-Raible (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 3136-3142.
McLaren R, Civile C, McLaren I (2021). Latent Inhibition in Young Children: a Developmental Effect?. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 47, 63-73.
McCourt S, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2021). Perceptual processes of face recognition: Single feature orientation and holistic information contribute to the face inversion effect. In T. Fitch, C. Lamm, H. Leder, & K. Teßmar-Raible (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 728-734.
Delameter A, Civile C, McLaren I (2021). Special Issue on Recent Advances in Perceptual Learning: Editorial. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 47, 1-3.
Civile C, McLaren R, Milton F, McLaren I (2021). The Effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Perceptual Learning for Upright Faces and its Role in the Composite Face Effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 47, 74-90.
Waguri E, McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2021). Using prototype-defined checkerboards to investigate the mechanisms contributing to the Composite Face Effect. In T. Fitch, C. Lamm, H. Leder, & K. Teßmar-Raible (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 1236-1242.
Civile C, Quaglia S, Waguri E, Ward M, McLaren R, McLaren I (2021). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to investigate why Faces are and are Not Special. Scientific Reports
2020
Civile C (2020). A novel target detection task using artificial stimuli: the effect of familiarity. Proceedings of the 42st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 3349-3355.
Civile C, Chamizo VD, Artigas A, McLaren IPL (2020). Directional cue and landmark configurations: the effect of rotating one set of landmarks relative to another. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition
Civile C, Waguri E, Quaglia S, Wooster B, Curtis A, McLaren R, Lavric A, McLaren I (2020). Testing the effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on the Face Inversion Effect and the N170 Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) component. Neuropsychologia
Civile C (2020). Testing the immediate effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on face recognition skills. Proceedings of the 42st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 1141-1147.
Civile C, Cooke A, Liu X, McLaren R, Elchlepp H, Lavric A, Milton F, McLaren I (2020). The effect of tDCS on recognition depends on stimulus generalization: Neuro-stimulation can predictably enhance or reduce the face inversion effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 46, 83-98.
Cooke A (2020). The influence of neurostimulation on stimulus discrimination:. tDCS at Fp3 can modulate old / new recognition and target detection for faces and chequerboards.
Abstract:
The influence of neurostimulation on stimulus discrimination:. tDCS at Fp3 can modulate old / new recognition and target detection for faces and chequerboards.
This paper reports the results of three experiments investigating the effect of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a form of neurostimulation, on stimulus discrimination in an ‘old/new recognition’ and a target detection task. Experiment 1 presents regular faces alongside a set of manipulated faces, Thatcherised faces, or familiar chequerboards; showing that anodal stimulation can selectively increase or reduce the face inversion effect for regular faces simply by changing the accompanying stimuli. That tDCS can reliably disrupt or enhance performance on an index of facial recognition as robust as the face inversion effect is a significant finding. Experiment 1 also provides the first direct evidence that a set of manipulated faces generalise onto regular faces and do so sufficiently to reduce the inversion effect in the latter. The results are interpreted, using a theory of representational development known as the McLaren, Kaye and Mackintosh (MKM) model, as tDCS altering error-based salience modulation with the effect of enhancing generalisation between within-category stimuli. Experiment 2 extends the analysis offered to a detection task with ‘realistic’ and standardised faces while Experiment 3 presents familiar chequerboards in the same task. The results show that anodal stimulation has a different effect to that in the ‘old/new recognition’ task, having no significant effect on sensitivity but an unexpected effect on response bias.
Abstract.
2019
McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Civile C (2019). Pre-exposure and learning in young children: Evidence of latent inhibition?. In A.K. Goel, C.M. Seifert, & C. Freska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Montreal, QB: Cognitive Science Society., 2332-2337.
Humsani SAH, Civile C, McLaren IPL (2019). The Impact of Meta-memory Judgments on Undergraduate's Learning and Memory Performance.
Abstract:
The Impact of Meta-memory Judgments on Undergraduate's Learning and Memory Performance
Abstract.
Humsani SA, Civile C, McLaren IPL (2019). The impact of meta-memory judgements on undergraduates’ learning and memory performance. In A.K. Goel, C.M. Seifert, & C. Freska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Montreal, QB: Cognitive Science Society., 1527-1532.
Civile C, Wooster B, Curtis A, McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Lavric A (2019). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to modulate the face inversion effect on the N170 ERP component.
Abstract:
Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to modulate the face inversion effect on the N170 ERP component
Abstract.
Civile C, Wooster B, Curtis A, McLaren R, McLaren IPL, Lavric A (2019). Using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to modulate the face inversion effect on the N170 ERP component. In A.K. Goel, C.M. Seifert, & C. Freska (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Montreal, QB: Cognitive Science Society., 1527-1532.
2018
Civile C, McLaren R, McLaren IPL (2018). How We can Change Your Mind: Anodal tDCS to Fp3 alters human stimulus representation and learning. Neuropsychologia
Civile C, Colvin E, Siddiqui H, Sukhvinder O (2018). Labelling faces as “Autistic” reduces the Inversion Effect. Autism, 23, 1596-1600.
Civile C, Obhi SS, McLaren IPL (2018). The Role of Experience-based Perceptual Learning in the Face Inversion Effect. Vision Research, 157, 84-88.
Civile C, Elchlepp H, McLaren RP, Galang CM, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2018). The effect of scrambling upright and inverted faces on the N170. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
2017
Civile C, Obhi SS (2017). Students wearing police uniforms exhibit biased attention toward individuals wearing hoodies.
Frontiers in Psychology,
8(FEB).
Abstract:
Students wearing police uniforms exhibit biased attention toward individuals wearing hoodies
Police provide an essential public service and they often operate in difficult circumstances, requiring high-speed cognition. Recent incidents involving apparent profiling and aggressive behavior have led to accusations that the police are sometimes biased. Given that previous research has shown a link between clothing and cognition, we investigated the question of whether the police uniform itself might induce a bias in social attention. To address this question, and using a Canadian university student sample, we assessed whether wearing a police uniform biases attention toward black faces compared to white faces, and low-status individuals compared to high-status individuals. In Experiment 1 (n = 28), participants wore either a police-style uniform or mechanic overalls, and performed a shape categorization task in the presence of a distractor that could be either: a black face, a white face, a person wearing a hoodie (whom we propose will be associated with low SES), or a person wearing a suit (whom we propose will be associated with high SES). Participants wearing the police-style uniform exhibited biased attention, indexed by slower reaction times (RTs), in the presence of low-SES images. In Experiment 2 (n = 28), we confirmed this bias using a modified Dot-Probe task - an alternate measure of attentional bias in which we observed faster RTs to a dot probe that was spatially aligned with a low SES image. Experiment 3 (n = 56) demonstrated that attentional bias toward low-SES targets appears only when participants wear the police-style uniform, and not when they are simply exposed to it - by having it placed on the desk in front of them. Our results demonstrate that wearing a police-style uniform biases attention toward low-SES targets. Thus, wearing a police-style uniform may induce a kind of "status-profiling" in which individuals from low-status groups become salient and capture attention. We note that our results are limited to university students and that it will be important to extend them to members of the community and law-enforcement officers. We discuss how uniforms might exert their effects on cognition by virtue of the power and cultural associations they evoke in the wearer.
Abstract.
Civile C, Obhi S, McLaren IPL (2017). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and the Face Inversion Effect: Anodal stimulation at Fp3 reduces recognition for upright faces. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society., 1782-1787.
2016
McLaren IPL, Carpenter K, Civile C, McLaren R, Zhao D, Milton F, Verbruggen F (2016). Categorisation and Perceptual Learning: Why tDCS to Left DLPC enhances generalisation. Associative Learning and Cognition. Homage to Prof. N.J. Mackintosh. Trobalon, J.B. and Chamizo, V.D. (Eds.), University of Barcelona., 37-67.
Civile C, Obhi SS (2016). Power Eliminates the Influence of Body Posture on Facial Emotion Recognition.
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior,
40(4), 283-299.
Abstract:
Power Eliminates the Influence of Body Posture on Facial Emotion Recognition
We investigated how power priming affects facial emotion recognition in the context of body postures conveying the same or different emotion. Facial emotions are usually recognized better when the face is presented with a congruent body posture, and recognized worse when the body posture is incongruent. In our study, we primed participants to either low, high, or neutral power prior to their performance in a facial-emotion categorization task in which faces were presented together with a congruent or incongruent body posture. Facial emotion recognition in high-power participants was not affected by body posture. In contrast, low-power and neutral-power participants were significantly affected by the congruence of facial and body emotions. Specifically, these participants displayed better facial emotion recognition when the body posture was congruent, and worse performance when the body posture was incongruent. In a following task, we trained the same participants to categorize two sets of novel checkerboard stimuli and then engaged them in a recognition test involving compounds of these stimuli. High, low, and neutral-power participants all showed a strong congruence effect for compound checkerboard stimuli. We discuss our results with reference to the literature on power and social perception.
Abstract.
Civile C, Rajagobal A, Obhi SS (2016). Power, Ethnic Origin, and Sexual Objectification.
SAGE Open,
6(2).
Abstract:
Power, Ethnic Origin, and Sexual Objectification
In this study, we investigated the effects of primed power on sexual objectification of Caucasian and Asian men and women. As in previous studies, sexual objectification was assessed using an inversion paradigm with face–body compound stimuli. Previous work has shown that participants primed to power do not show the typical drop in recognition performance for inverted face–body compound stimuli, suggesting that they process these stimuli in terms of their individual features, in a manner akin to objects, and quite different from the way in which faces and bodies are normally processed (i.e. configurally). Caucasian male and female participants were primed to high or neutral-power before engaging in an old/new recognition task involving sexualized face–body compound images of Caucasian and Asian men and women. Participants primed to high-power showed a decreased inversion effect for Caucasian models of the opposite gender, but not for Asian models. Thus, power exerts different effects on this specific type of social perception, depending on the ethnic origin of the target. We discuss our results in the context of the extant literature on power and with reference to media stereotyping of Caucasians and Asians.
Abstract.
Civile C, Obhi, S.S. (2016). Power, Objectification, and Ethnicity. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 70, 359-359.
Civile C, Obhi SS (2016). Power, Objectification, and Recognition of Sexualized Women and Men.
Psychology of Women Quarterly,
40(2), 199-212.
Abstract:
Power, Objectification, and Recognition of Sexualized Women and Men
In contemporary society, sexual objectification is usually thought of as something that men do to women. However, this notion risks conflating the gender of the perpetrator with the fact that men often hold more social power than women. In the current study, we investigated whether power itself was associated with changes in processing of sexualized human targets, independent of the gender of the power holder. In Experiment 1, we primed separate groups of female participants to high-, low-, or neutral-power. We then engaged them in a recognition task involving upright or inverted sexualized images of men and women. Previous research using stimulus inversion manipulations has found that inversion of faces/bodies, but not of objects, disrupts recognition performance, suggesting a reliance on more configural processing in face/body perception compared to object perception. We found that women primed to high-power did not show an inversion effect for sexualized men but did show an inversion effect for sexualized women. In contrast, women primed to low-power showed an inversion effect for sexualized men and women. In Experiment 2, we replicated this finding and found a similar effect of power for male participants perceiving sexualized images of women. We discuss our results with reference to the literatures on objectification and the cognitive processes involved in the perception of sexualized men and women. Our study provides seminal evidence that power, rather than gender per se, may play a central role in sexual objectification. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available to PWQ subscribers on PWQ's website at http://pwq.sagepub.com/supplemental
Abstract.
Civile C, Verbruggen, McLaren, Zhao D, Ku Y, McLaren IPL (2016). Switching off perceptual learning: tDCS to left DLPFC eliminates perceptual learning in humans. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 290-296.
Civile C, McLaren R, McLaren IPL (2016). The Face Inversion Effect: Roles of First and Second-Order Configural Information.
The American Journal of Psychology,
129(1), 23-35.
Abstract:
The Face Inversion Effect: Roles of First and Second-Order Configural Information
Abstract
. the face inversion effect (fie) is a reduction in recognition performance for inverted faces compared with upright faces. several studies have proposed that a type of configural information, called second- order relational information, becomes more important with increasing expertise and gives rise to the fie. However, recently it has been demonstrated that it is possible to obtain an fie with facial features presented in isolation, showing that configural information is not necessary for this effect to occur. in this article we test whether there is a role for configural information in producing the fie and whether second- or first- order relational information is particularly important. in experiment 1, we investigated the role of configural information and local feature orientation by using a new type of “thatcherizing” transformation on our set of faces, aiming to disrupt second-order and local feature orientation information but keeping all first- order properties unaltered. the results showed a significant reduction in the fie for these “new” thatcherized faces, but it did not entirely disappear. experiment 2 confirmed the fie for new thatcherized faces, and experiment 3 establishes that both local feature orientation and first-order relational information have a role in determining the fie.
Abstract.
2015
Civile C, Obhi SS (2015). Towards a mechanistic understanding of the effects of body posture on facial emotion categorization.
American Journal of Psychology,
128(3), 367-377.
Abstract:
Towards a mechanistic understanding of the effects of body posture on facial emotion categorization
This study investigated the causes of the face-body congruence effect (FBCE), which refers to the advantage in performance when participants are asked to categorize emotional faces compounded with emotional matching body postures (congruent) compared with incongruent face-body compound stimuli (body postures mismatching the facial emotions). Experiment 1 showed that manipulations aiming to alter holistic processing significantly reduced the FBCE. In particular, the disruption of holistic processing affected significantly the performance for congruent composites. However, no effect was obtained on the incongruent stimuli. In Experiment 2, the inversion manipulation showed a clear disadvantage for incongruent stimuli brought by the disruption of the single feature orientation information. Thus, we found confirmation of the different processing involved in perceiving congruent and incongruent stimuli. Finally, Experiment 3 confirmed that we are able to reduce entirely the FBCE when the orientation of the units (the face and the body) constituting the incongruent composites is matched.
Abstract.
2014
Civile C, Zhao D, Ku Y, Elchlepp H, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2014). Perceptual learning and inversion effects: Recognition of prototype-defined familiar checkerboards.
J Exp Psychol Anim Learn Cogn,
40(2), 144-161.
Abstract:
Perceptual learning and inversion effects: Recognition of prototype-defined familiar checkerboards.
The face inversion effect is a defection in performance in recognizing inverted faces compared with faces presented in their usual upright orientation typically believed to be specific for facial stimuli. McLaren (1997) was able to demonstrate that (a) an inversion effect could be obtained with exemplars drawn from a familiar category, such that upright exemplars were better discriminated than inverted exemplars; and (b) that the inversion effect required that the familiar category be prototype-defined. In this article, we replicate and extend these findings. We show that the inversion effect can be obtained in a standard old/new recognition memory paradigm, demonstrate that it is contingent on familiarization with a prototype-defined category, and establish that the effect is made up of two components. We confirm the advantage for upright exemplars drawn from a familiar, prototype-defined category, and show that there is a disadvantage for inverted exemplars drawn from this category relative to suitable controls. We also provide evidence that there is an N170 event-related potential signature for this effect. These results allow us to integrate a theory of perceptual learning originally proposed by McLaren, Kaye, and Mackintosh (1989) with explanations of the face inversion effect, first reported by Yin.
Abstract.
Author URL.
Civile C, Chamizo VD, Mackintosh NJ, McLaren IPL (2014). The effect of disrupting configural information on rats' performance in the Morris water maze.
Learning and MotivationAbstract:
The effect of disrupting configural information on rats' performance in the Morris water maze
Many experiments on spatial navigation suggest that a rat uses the configuration of extra-maze landmarks to guide its choice of arm or location to visit. In the present study, based on Chamizo Rodríguez, Espinet, and Mackintosh's (2012) navigation paradigm, we conducted a series of experiments in which we focused on how changes to the configuration of stimuli surrounding the maze, implemented by transposing the location of both near and far landmarks, significantly affected rats' performance (Experiment1, Test Phase 1). Subsequent tests demonstrated that it was the near landmarks that played the major role in this navigation task (Experiment 1, Test Phases 2 and 3). Experiment 2 provided evidence for a novel type of inversion effect in the water maze, by showing that rotation by 180° of the location of one set of landmarks relative to a directional cue also strongly affected performance. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Abstract.
Civile C, McLaren RP, McLaren IPL (2014). The face inversion effect--parts and wholes: individual features and their configuration.
Q J Exp Psychol (Hove),
67(4), 728-746.
Abstract:
The face inversion effect--parts and wholes: individual features and their configuration.
The face inversion effect (FIE) is a reduction in recognition performance for inverted faces (compared to upright faces) that is greater than that typically observed with other stimulus types (e.g. houses). The work of Diamond and Carey, suggests that a special type of configural information, "second-order relational information" is critical in generating this inversion effect. However, Tanaka and Farah concluded that greater reliance on second-order relational information did not directly result in greater sensitivity to inversion, and they suggested that the FIE is not entirely due to a reliance on this type of configural information. A more recent review by McKone and Yovel provides a meta-analysis that makes a similar point. In this paper, we investigated the contributions made by configural and featural information to the FIE. Experiments 1a and1b investigated the link between configural information and the FIE. Remarkably, Experiment 1b showed that disruption of all configural information of the type considered in Diamond and Carey's analysis (both first and second order) was effective in reducing recognition performance, but did not significantly impact on the FIE. Experiments 2 and 3 revealed that face processing is affected by the orientation of individual features and that this plays a major role in producing the FIE. The FIE was only completely eliminated when we disrupted the single feature orientation information in addition to the configural information, by using a new type of transformation similar to Thatcherizing our sets of scrambled faces. We conclude by noting that our results for scrambled faces are consistent with an account that has recognition performance entirely determined by the proportion of upright facial features within a stimulus, and that any ability to make use of the spatial configuration of these features seems to benefit upright and inverted normal faces alike.
Abstract.
Author URL.
2012
Civile C, Elchlepp H, McLaren R, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2012). Face recognition and brain potentials: Disruption of configural information reduces the face inversion effect. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society., 1422-1427.
Civile C, Elchlepp H, McLaren R, Lavric A, McLaren IPL (2012). The face inversion effect and evoked brain potentials: Complete loss of configural information affects the N170. Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society, 1416-1421.
Civile C, Elchlepp, McLaren RP, Lavric, McLaren IPL (2012). The face inversion effect and evoked brain potentials: Complete loss of configural information affects the N170. Cognitive Science. 1st - 1st Jan 2012.
2011
Civile C, McLaren R, McLaren IPL (2011). Perceptual learning and face recognition: Disruption of second-order relational information reduces the face inversion effect. In L. Carlson, C. Hoelscher, & T.F. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society., 2083-2088.
McLaren IPL, Civile C (2011). Perceptual learning for a familiar category under inversion: an analogue of face inversion?. In L. Carlson, C. Hoelscher, & T.F. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society, 3320-3325.
