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Psychological Research (2012) 76:263269 DOI 10.1007/s00426-011-0340-9
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Consistent left gaze bias in processing diVerent facial cues
Kun Guo Claire Smith Kathryn Powell Kelly Nicholls
Received: 25 February 2011 / Accepted: 30 April 2011 / Published online: 11 May 2011 Springer-Verlag 2011
Abstract While viewing faces, humans often demonstrate a natural gaze bias towards the left visual Weld, that is, the right side of the viewees face is often inspected Wrst and for longer periods. Previous studies have suggested that this gaze asymmetry is a part of the gaze pattern associated with face exploration, but its relation with perceptual processing of facial cues is unclear. In this study we recorded participants saccadic eye movements while exploring face images under diVerent task instructions (free viewing, judging familiarity and judging facial expression). We observed a consistent left gaze bias in face viewing irrespective of task demands. The probability of the Wrst Wxation and the proportion of overall Wxations directed at the left hemiface were indistinguishable across diVerent task instructions or across diVerent facial expressions. It seems that the left gaze bias is an automatic reXection of hemispheric lateralisation in face processing, and is not necessarily correlated with the perceptual processing of a speciWc type of facial information.
Introduction
Although our facial conWguration is more or less symmetrical along the vertical axis, we are more likely to use facial cues contained in the right side of the owners face (left side of the viewed face from viewers perspective) to facilitate perceptual judgement of gender, age, identity, expression, likeness and attractiveness (Brady, Campbell, & Flaherty, 2005; Burt & Perrett, 1997; Butler et al., 2005;
Gilbert & Bakan, 1973). For instance, when asked to label facial expression of a brieXy presented chimeric face, in which the left and right side of the viewed face diVer in facial expressions, viewers tend to base their decision more frequently on the visual input from the hemiface appearing in their left visual Weld (left hemiface). This left perceptual bias in face perception is often accompanied by a left gaze bias (LGB) when free eye movements are allowed in face exploration (Butler et al., 2005; Mertens, Siegmund, & Grusser, 1993; Philips & David, 1997). That is, the left hemiface is often inspected Wrst and/or for...