Face Recognition Study The ability to recognize other faces and emotional expressions is a significant component of social cognition. This comparative study examines how particular areas of the brain may be involved in the development of this ability.
A Four-site Study on Face Recognition in Humans and Monkeys
In the mature brain, regions of the inferior temporal cortex (a part of the brain suspected to play a role in processing visual information) has been implicated in face recognition; and the amygdala has been implicated in the recognition of emotion.
This study seeks to determine when during development these parts of the brain start to be active in face and emotion recognition. In particular, the researchers are interested in the effects of early disturbances in these areas (physical disruptions, such as lesions, or social/emotional disruptions, such as social deprivation) on the development of the ability to recognize faces and emotions.