The similarity with a face presented in central vision improves face recognition in peripheral vision.

Abstract

The fovea, with its high concentration of cone photoreceptors, results in increased sensitivity and visual acuity, while the periphery, with its lower contrast sensitivity and resolution, provides better spatial summation. Despite these differences, our experience of the visual field remains detailed and uniform, supported by the influence of central vision on peripheral vision. There is evidence that recognition of simple shapes in the periphery is enhanced by the presence of a similar shape in central vision. However, it is unclear whether such mechanisms generalise to more complex stimuli, such as faces. In a face matching task, we found that having a similar face in central vision improved face matching performance in the periphery. This suggests that general mechanisms govern the interaction between central and peripheral vision in recognising faces.