Abstract
This study investigated the face inversion effect in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Face stimuli consisted of ten black-and-white examples of unfamiliar rhesus monkey faces, brown capuchin faces, and human faces. Two non-face categories included ten examples of automobiles and abstract shapes. All stimuli were presented in a sequential matching-to-sample format using an automated joystick-testing paradigm. Subjects performed significantly better on upright than on inverted presentations of automobiles, rhesus monkey and capuchin faces, but not human faces or abstract shapes. These results are inconsistent with data from humans and chimpanzees that show the inversion effect only for categories of stimuli for which subjects have developed expertise. The inversion effect in rhesus monkeys does not appear to be face-specific, and should therefore not be used as a marker of specialized face processing in this species.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 123-129 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Animal cognition |
Volume | 2 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1999 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Expertise effect
- Face recognition
- Inversion
- Macaca mulatta
- Matching-to-sample
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology