Visual preferences for direct-gaze faces in infant macaques (Macaca mulatta) with limited face exposure

Elizabeth A. Simpson; Annika Paukner; Eric J. Pedersen; Pier F. Ferrari; Lisa A. Parr

doi:10.1002/dev.21797

Visual preferences for direct-gaze faces in infant macaques (Macaca mulatta) with limited face exposure

Elizabeth A. Simpson, Annika Paukner, Eric J. Pedersen, Pier F. Ferrari, Lisa A. Parr

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

From birth, human and nonhuman primates attend more to faces with direct gaze compared with averted gaze, and previous studies report that attention to the eyes is linked to the emergence of later social skills. Here, we explored whether early experiences influence attraction to eye contact in infant macaques by examining their attention to face pairs varying in their gaze direction across the first 13 weeks of life. Infants raised by human caretakers had limited conspecific interactions (nursery-reared; N = 16) and were compared to infants raised in rich social environments (mother-reared; N = 20). Both groups looked longer to faces and the eyes of direct compared to averted-gaze faces. Looking to all faces and eyes also increased with age. Nursery-reared infants did not display age-associated increases in attention to direct-gaze faces specifically, suggesting that, while there may be an initial preference for direct-gaze faces from birth, social experiences may support its early development.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	228-238
Number of pages	11
Journal	Developmental Psychobiology
Volume	61
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.21797
State	Published - Mar 2019

Keywords

attention
infant development
mutual gaze
primate
social attention
vision

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology
Developmental Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Behavioral Neuroscience

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10.1002/dev.21797

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title = "Visual preferences for direct-gaze faces in infant macaques (Macaca mulatta) with limited face exposure",

abstract = "From birth, human and nonhuman primates attend more to faces with direct gaze compared with averted gaze, and previous studies report that attention to the eyes is linked to the emergence of later social skills. Here, we explored whether early experiences influence attraction to eye contact in infant macaques by examining their attention to face pairs varying in their gaze direction across the first 13 weeks of life. Infants raised by human caretakers had limited conspecific interactions (nursery-reared; N = 16) and were compared to infants raised in rich social environments (mother-reared; N = 20). Both groups looked longer to faces and the eyes of direct compared to averted-gaze faces. Looking to all faces and eyes also increased with age. Nursery-reared infants did not display age-associated increases in attention to direct-gaze faces specifically, suggesting that, while there may be an initial preference for direct-gaze faces from birth, social experiences may support its early development.",

keywords = "attention, infant development, mutual gaze, primate, social attention, vision",

author = "Simpson, {Elizabeth A.} and Annika Paukner and Pedersen, {Eric J.} and Ferrari, {Pier F.} and Parr, {Lisa A.}",

note = "Funding Information: Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, Grant/Award Number: 1653737; National Institute of Mental Health, Grant/Award Number: P50MH000029 and R01MH104534 ; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Grant/Award Number: P01HD064653; National Science Foundation; Division of Intramural Research Funding Information: We thank Stephen J. Suomi and the Laboratory of Comparative Ethology for providing resources and assisting with data collection. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [NICHD P01HD064653 to PFF, NIMH R01MH104534, and P50MH000029 to LAP], a National Science Foundation CAREER Award [1653737 to EAS], and the Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health.",

year = "2019",

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AU - Paukner, Annika

AU - Pedersen, Eric J.

AU - Ferrari, Pier F.

AU - Parr, Lisa A.

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