抄録
We reviewed experimental studies examining inversion or composite effects to understand the holistic processing of faces. Early studies reported a shift from analytic to holistic face processing with age. Young children's inability to use holistic information was believed to explain their inferior performance in facial processing. However, recent research has revealed that even 3-year-olds and infants show sensitivity to holistic information, similarly to adults. We discuss methodological problems of these studies, including the lack of whole-face images in the stimuli tested. Previous studies commonly used facial stimuli created by cutting out only an internal area of a face, or by excluding external areas (i.e., hair). These manipulations have caused an overestimation of children痴 ability to identify and recognize faces. Finally, we present a new approach for clarifying developmental changes in face processing. Young children have a tendency to process a whole visual area, including areas that are inappropriate for accurate identification of faces (i.e., external areas), and have an inability to limit visual processing to useful internal areas and facial components.
