Testing Face Processing Skills in Children

Testing Face Processing Skills in Children

Introduction

Of late scientists have been able to perceive the processes which lead to the fruitful recognition and the link that exist between the faces and the information one can get from interpreting them. After several experiments, researchers came up with different types of interpretation for every face expression. Most of the studies done on face processing mainly involve use of skills that lead to recognition of facial expression. Researchers have made progress in the development of face processing in children aged three or four all the way to eleven years. (Bruce, Campbell, Doherty-Sneddon, Import, Langton, McAuley, & Wright, 2000).

Development of face processing tests has been carried out by many researchers. Several experiments were done to explain a group of faces appropriate for use with the young lads; usually aged four to ten years. Several tests like test of expression, reading of the lips and those that involve interpreting a particular look. This test used pictures that had been taken using video. After they had been taken, they were edited to remove the visible parts and a grey background was put in place. The four tests that were carried out were done in different ways, for example, expression test used exp-match and exp-pair, facial speech and sound match used sound pair and match while gaze tests used gaze-pair and match. Identity matching test on the other hand, employed ID-Dis, sim, Dis-masked and Sim-masked. These tests were then employed to two studies; the first study was carried out on children going to normal learning institutions. It was done to find out if they were developmentally sensitive and also to discover the link between performances on diverse tests. The second study used three sets of age group. (Bruce, Campbell,Doherty-Sneddon, Import, Langton, McAuley, & Wright, 2000).

The test were done using computers and papers, however while using the computer some of the pictures may not be clearly seen thus difficulty in processing the faces. From the studies it was discovered that the tests were sensitive to developments. Moreover, their was a connection concerning performance on diverse tests of like face processing capability and largely slightly than fragile links among those of dissimilar capacities (Bruce, Campbell,Doherty-Sneddon, Import, Langton, McAuley, & Wright, 2000).

The use of computers and paper in depicting the pictures had its pros and cons. First of all the use of paper in showing the pictures proved to be flexible for testing in different situations. Moreover, the test provided a way in which face expression could be further hidden thus difficulty in processing for adults and older children. The test are also very effective in proving face processing skills that don resemble a particular age set and they can also be used with all children including those who are disabled. However, the test have disadvantages and one of them is that the use of computer in some of the test fail to give a good contrast of the picture thus an improper interpretation is achieved (Bruce, Campbell,Doherty-Sneddon, Import, Langton, McAuley, & Wright, 2000).

Conclusion

            Researchers have undertaken the initiative to carry out experiments to show the development of face processing among the children of different age groups. Several test were used to carry out the research and it was discovered that there was a connection concerning performance on diverse tests of like face processing capability and largely slightly than fragile links among those of dissimilar capacities.

Reference:

Bruce, V., Campbell, R.N.,Doherty-Sneddon G., Import, A., Langton, S., McAuley, S., & Wright, R. (2000). Testing Face Processing Skills In Children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 18: 319-333.