Plasticity of face processing in infancy. Pascalis, O., Scott, L. S., Kelly, D. J., Shannon, R. W., Nicholson, E., Coleman, M., & Nelson, C. A. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 102(14):5297-300, 2005.
doi  abstract   bibtex   
Experience plays a crucial role for the normal development of many perceptual and cognitive functions, such as speech perception. For example, between 6 and 10 months of age, the infant's ability to discriminate among native speech sounds improves, whereas the ability to discriminate among foreign speech sounds declines. However, a recent investigation suggests that some experience with non-native languages from 9 months of age facilitates the maintenance of this ability at 12 months. Nelson has suggested that the systems underlying face processing may be similarly sculpted by experience with different kinds of faces. In the current investigation, we demonstrate that, in human infants between 6 and 9 months of age, exposure to non-native faces, in this case, faces of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus), facilitates the discrimination of monkey faces, an ability that is otherwise lost around 9 months of age. These data support, and further elucidate, the role of early experience in the development of face processing.
@Article{Pascalis2005,
  author   = {O. Pascalis and L. S. Scott and D. J. Kelly and R. W. Shannon and E. Nicholson and M. Coleman and C. A. Nelson},
  journal  = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A},
  title    = {Plasticity of face processing in infancy.},
  year     = {2005},
  number   = {14},
  pages    = {5297-300},
  volume   = {102},
  abstract = {Experience plays a crucial role for the normal development of many
	perceptual and cognitive functions, such as speech perception. For
	example, between 6 and 10 months of age, the infant's ability to
	discriminate among native speech sounds improves, whereas the ability
	to discriminate among foreign speech sounds declines. However, a
	recent investigation suggests that some experience with non-native
	languages from 9 months of age facilitates the maintenance of this
	ability at 12 months. Nelson has suggested that the systems underlying
	face processing may be similarly sculpted by experience with different
	kinds of faces. In the current investigation, we demonstrate that,
	in human infants between 6 and 9 months of age, exposure to non-native
	faces, in this case, faces of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus),
	facilitates the discrimination of monkey faces, an ability that is
	otherwise lost around 9 months of age. These data support, and further
	elucidate, the role of early experience in the development of face
	processing.},
  doi      = {10.1073/pnas.0406627102},
  keywords = {Animals, Child Development, Discrimination (Psychology), Face, Female, Humans, Infant, Macaca, Male, Models, Non-U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Photic Stimulation, Psychological, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Visual Perception, 15790676},
}

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