Neural responses to perceptual and sexual ambiguity in facial images: an ERP and time-frequency analysis.

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the neural effects of perceptual (caused by blur processing) and sexual ambiguity (induced by morphing manipulation) in facial images via event-related potentials and time-frequency analysis. Gaussian blur and morphing of male and female faces were used to create gradually ambiguous face images, and participants completed a sexual dimorphism judgment task. Results revealed that the N170 was strongly affected by blur, which suggested that it disrupted the structural encoding of faces. The early posterior negativity exhibited a different response compared with the N170, which indicated that it may reflect both bottom-up processing due to lack of visual cues and top-down processing driven by the sexual dimorphism judgment task. Additionally, late posterior potential am

SUBMITTER: Sano T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12234907 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature