The effect of mask use on cross-race face perception: a simultaneous EEG and eye-tracking study.

ABSTRACT: While people are often experts in perceiving and categorizing faces into meaningful social categories (i.e., race), there are suboptimal scenarios such as mask use that may impair face processing. Here we examined how mask use may differentially impact own- and other-race face processing in social categorization, and the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms using simultaneous eye movement and EEG recording. We found that mask use made participants' face scanning patterns more eyes-focused and consistent, and reduced the differences in both eye movement pattern and early attention-related ERP component P1 between viewing own- and other-race faces. Moreover, mask use did not change how people categorize biracial morphed faces, or the advantage in categorization speed of other-race faces. The

SUBMITTER: Zheng Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12855653 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature