The age of the beholder: ERP evidence of an own-age bias in face memory

Evidence for a contact-based explanation of the own-age bias in face recognition

“…In a number of studies, younger and older adults have been shown photographs of younger and older faces, and a significant face age age group interaction indicative of the own-age bias has been found. Of these studies, some showed evidence of a full crossover effect (e.g., Anastasi & Rhodes, 2006;Bäckman, 1991;Perfect & Moon, 2005), some showed enhanced performance with own-age faces only in younger adults (e.g., Bartlett & Leslie, 1986;Lindholm, 2005;Mason, 1986;Wiese, Schweinberger, & Hansen, 2008), and others reported it present only in older adults (e.g., Lamont, Stewart-Williams, & Podd, 2005). An own-age bias for children (Anastasi & Rhodes, 2005;Lindholm, 2005) has also been reported.…”

ERP evidence for own-age effects on late stages of processing sad faces

“…Since own-race and own-age effects on ERPs are partly comparable (Ebner, He, Fichtenholtz, McCarthy, & Johnson, 2011;Wiese, Schweinberger, & Hansen, 2008), this finding might extend to own-age effects. However, so far, own-age effects on the N170 have not been confirmed for neutral faces (Wiese, Komes, & Schweinberger, 2012;Wiese et al, 2008), suggesting that partly different neural processes may underlie own-age and own-race effects. Instead, both younger and older observers showed higher N170 amplitudes for older than for younger faces Wiese et al, 2008), indicating that structural encoding may be more difficult for older faces, for both older and younger observers.…”

“…Some previous studies have revealed increased N170 amplitudes for other-race than for own-race faces (Caharel et al, 2011;Gajewski, Schlegel, & Stoerig, 2008;Herrmann et al, 2007;Stahl, Wiese, & Schweinberger, 2008;Walker, Silvert, Hewstone, & Nobre, 2007;Wiese, 2012;Wiese, Kaufmann, & Schweinberger, 2014). Since own-race and own-age effects on ERPs are partly comparable (Ebner, He, Fichtenholtz, McCarthy, & Johnson, 2011;Wiese, Schweinberger, & Hansen, 2008), this finding might extend to own-age effects. However, so far, own-age effects on the N170 have not been confirmed for neutral faces (Wiese, Komes, & Schweinberger, 2012;Wiese et al, 2008), suggesting that partly different neural processes may underlie own-age and own-race effects.…”

“…Several previous studies have examined the impact of age correspondence on the old-new recognition effect measured at similar time intervals (300-800 ms) at centroparietal electrode sites, considered to reflect recollection-based recognition. This old-new effect was enhanced for own-age as compared with other-age faces Wiese et al, 2008; but see Wolff et al, 2012). Focusing on amplitude differences, rather than the amplitude itself, these results allow for no direct conclusions concerning own-age effects on LPPs.…”

“…However, so far, own-age effects on the N170 have not been confirmed for neutral faces (Wiese, Komes, & Schweinberger, 2012;Wiese et al, 2008), suggesting that partly different neural processes may underlie own-age and own-race effects. Instead, both younger and older observers showed higher N170 amplitudes for older than for younger faces Wiese et al, 2008), indicating that structural encoding may be more difficult for older faces, for both older and younger observers. Concerning emotion effects on the N170, the results are mixed: Whereas some studies have shown a modulation by emotion (Batty & Taylor, 2003;Blau, Maurer, Tottenham, & McCandliss, 2007;Krombholz, Schaefer, & Boucsein, 2007;Luo, Feng, He, Wang, & Luo, 2010;Rellecke, Palazova, Sommer, & Schacht, 2011), others have not (Balconi & Lucchiari, 2005;Eimer & Holmes, 2002Eimer, Holmes, & McGlone, 2003;Holmes, Vuilleumier, & Eimer, 2003;Schupp et al, 2004).…”