Cultural difference in young infants’ visual scanning of faces: Converging evidence from two independent studies

• In Event: Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Topic - Perceptual, Sensory, Motor

Abstract

Early cognitive development is largely shaped by experiences. While most research focuses on the experiential impacts at micro-levels, such as racial/linguistic diversity in a family or community, few studies have investigated the influences of macro-level experiences. To this end, we examined how culture influences the development of face processing in infancy. Specifically, we focused on the age-related increase in looking at the mouth region of speaking faces. This robust developmental change represents the emergence of the integration of visual speech information in speech perception in infants.

To study possible cultural difference, we compared infants’ face-scanning patterns between Eastern and Western countries with two independent studies. Study 1 was conducted in Japan and Canada, and Study 2 was conducted in China and Canada (a different lab). In addition to the geographic differences, experimental materials and procedures were also different between the two studies. Thus, should similar results be found in the two studies, they are likely to represent cultural differences, rather than a study-specific effect.

Thirty-two Japanese infants (199 to 312 days, 19 females) and 27 Canadian Caucasian infants (196 to 315 days, 13 females) participated in Study 1. They watched 3-s sound videos of female actresses uttering a syllabus (/pa/). Participants saw one Asian and one Caucasian actress. In Study 2, there were 97 Chinese infants (89 to 291 days, 36 females) and 43 Canadian Caucasian infants (110 to 370 days, 19 females). They watched 10-s silent videos of female actresses (1 African, 1 Asian, and 1 Caucasian) depicting “chewing” movements.

The data analyses focused on the age-related change in preferential looking to the mouth region: Looking Time(Mouth) - Looking Time(Eyes). With multiple regression analysis, we examined how cultural background, participants’ age, face race, and the interactions among these predictors affected infants’ preferential looking to the mouth region. For Study 1, we found that with increased age, Caucasian infants exhibited a stronger preference for the mouth region (p = .027, Figure 1). In contrast, infants in Japan did not show age-related change in their mouth looking preferences (p = .402). In Study 2, we found an age-related increase in the preferential looking to the mouth in Caucasian (p < .001) and Chinese infants (p = .048). Moreover, this developmental change was stronger for Canadian infants than Chinese infants, which is indicated by a significant interaction between infants’ cultural background and age (p = .022). No other significant effect was found in either study.

The results across the two studies clearly showed cultural influence in the development of crucial cognitive processes as early as infancy. Eastern infants allocated less attention to the mouth region than their Western peers when watching identical videos. While prior studies pointed out cultural differences in high-level cognitive processes (e.g., moral development) in childhood, the current findings showed culture also impacts a fundamental cognitive process at a much earlier stage of life. These early emerging cultural differences likely pave the foundation for later developed culturally specific behaviors, thereby reinforcing our cultural norms.

Authors

• Naiqi G Xiao, McMaster University
  Presenting Author

• Yuta Ujiie
  Non-Presenting Author

• Shaoying Liu, Zhejiang Sci-tech University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Paul C Quinn, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author

• Masami K Yamaguchi, Chuo University
  Non-Presenting Author

• So Kanazawa, Japan Women's University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kang Lee, University of Toronto
  Non-Presenting Author

• Reem Tawfik, University of Waterloo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Darshan Singh Panesar, University of Toronto
  Non-Presenting Author