Part Whole Recognition Task

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 19, 2014

Last Modified: January 11, 2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script runs a Part-Whole Face Recognition Task.

The implemented procedure is based on:

Tanaka, J.W. & Farah, M.J. (1993). Parts and wholes in face recognition. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Section A: Human Experimental Psychology, 46, 225-245. (Experiment 1)

Duration

8 minutes

Description

Participants are asked to memorize intact and scrambled faces of 6 men and learn to associate them with their corresponding names. In a learning phase, participants view a random order of the faces with verbal recordings of the corresponding names with each face being presented for 5s (5 repetitions for each face). In a test phase, participants work through 2 forced-choice recognition tests. In one test, they are presented with the whole faces and have to choose between the correct face and a foil (differs in one feature). In another test, they are presented with features (eyes, nose, mouth) and have to choose between the correct feature and a foil.

Procedure

4 experimental groups: assignment by groupnumber (see section EXPERIMENT for more info)
(1) 2 conditions (intact faces vs. scrambled faces): tested within in a blocked format;
order of conditions counterbalanced
(2) 2 groups of stimuli (group1 vs. group2): used for intact and scrambled conditions
(tested within in a blocked format); order of groups counterbalanced

2 Parts: intact vs. scrambled
each part runs a
(1) Learning Phase: 5 blocks of 6 faces, random order of faces within each block,
faces are presented for 5s (default) together with a recording of the assigned name (as well as the written name)
(30 trials total)
! if the learning trials should be self-paced, go to section TRIALS -> learningPhase and follow instructions
(2) Test Phase (Forced-Choice Recognition Test): 2 blocks -> Whole (whole faces) vs. Parts (individual features);
order of blocks is randomly determined for each participant and each part (12 trials total)
a) Whole: target faces (presented during learning) are contrasted with foil faces
(foil faces are changed in either eyes (2), nose (2) or mouth (2))
position of targets to left vs. right side of screen is randomly determined (half will be right) - 6 trials
b) Part: target features (2 eyes, 2 noses, 2 mouths) are contrasted with foil features;
foil features are the same as used for the corresponding foil faces
position of targets to left vs. right side of screen is randomly determined (half will be right) - 6 trials

Stimuli

2 groups of stimuli each with 6 male faces (12 faces total).
Stimuli are not original to Tanaka & Farah (1993). Stimuli are provided by Millisecond and can
be replaced under section Editable Stimuli
Detailed information regarding stimulus generation is provided.

spoken names are produced by Inquisit's voice over feature. By default, a generic
female voice is used.

Instructions

Instructions are not original to Tanaka & Farah (1993). Instructions are provided by Millisecond
in the form of html pages. The files can be replaced under section Editable Instructions.
Word changes can be made directly within the files.

To edit html-files: open the respective documents in simple Text Editors such as TextEdit (Mac)
or Notepad (Windows).

Summary Data

File Name: partwholerecognition_summary*.iqdat

Data Fields

Raw Data

File Name: partwholerecognition_raw*.iqdat

Data Fields

Parameters

The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.