Perceived face size in healthy adults

PLoS One. 2017 May 8;12(5):e0177349. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177349. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Perceptual body size distortions have traditionally been studied using subjective, qualitative measures that assess only one type of body representation-the conscious body image. Previous research on perceived body size has typically focused on measuring distortions of the entire body and has tended to overlook the face. Here, we present a novel psychophysical method for determining perceived body size that taps into implicit body representation. Using a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC), participants were sequentially shown two life-size images of their own face, viewed upright, upside down, or tilted 90°. In one interval, the width or length dimension was varied, while the other interval contained an undistorted image. Participants reported which image most closely matched their own face. An adaptive staircase adjusted the distorted image to hone in on the image that was equally likely to be judged as matching their perceived face as the accurate image. When viewed upright or upside down, face width was overestimated and length underestimated, whereas perception was accurate for the on-side views. These results provide the first psychophysically robust measurements of how accurately healthy participants perceive the size of their face, revealing distortions of the implicit body representation independent of the conscious body image.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Face / anatomy & histology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Self Concept
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) grant to LRH. SD was supported by a PGS-D3 NSERC graduate scholarship and an NSERC CREATE grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.