No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

At an early stage of visual processing, human faces and bodies are typically associated with larger N170s when presented in an inverted (vs. upright) position, indexing the involvement of configural processing. We challenged this view and hypothesized that sexualized bodies would not be sensitive to inversion, thereby suggesting that they would be processed similarly to objects. Participants saw sexualized male and female bodies, nonsexualized male and female bodies, as well as objects in both upright and inverted positions while we recorded the N170. Results indicated that inverted (vs. upright) nonsexualized male and female bodies were associated with larger N170 amplitudes. In contrast, no N170 amplitude inversion effect emerged for sexualized male and female bodies or objects. These results suggest that sexualized bodies are processed similarly to objects and quite differently than nonsexualized bodies. We discuss the results and their implications in the light of the literatures in person perception and objectification.

No abstract

No abstract

Objectives: Assess the feasibility of drawing tuning curves from the masking function of steady state potentials. Develop a noninvasive tool for research applications on cochlear frequency selectivity in sedated animais. Obtain pilot human data validating auditory steady state evoked potential-derived (ASSEP) tuning curves against psychophysical data.,.Design: ASSEP tuning curves were drawn in 10 Beagle puppies and six human adults using amplitude-modulated probes. Two probe frequencies (1 and 2 kHz) were used in dogs and only one (2 kHz) in humans. The modulation rates of the two probes were set to 81 and 88 Hz, respectively. Psychophysical tuning curves were obtained in 12 normal human subjects using the same maskers and either a pure-tone or an amplitude-modulated probe to verity if the latter had a specific effect on tuning curve parameters. Six of these 12 subjects participated in the electrophysiologic measurements. For each tuning curve, the intensity of the narrowband masker required just to mask the fixed probe was plotted for different masker center frequencies. Masker center frequencies extended to about half an octave above and an octave below the probe frequencies in 1DO-Hzsteps. Tuning curve width (010dB values), high-and low-frequency slopes (in dB/octave) and the masker frequency yielding the lowest masking threshold (maximal masker frequency) were computed. Canine 010 dB values obtained were compared with those published for several species with other techniques. For humans, ASSEP and psychophysical tuning curves were directly compared in the same subjects and with published data.Results: ln dogs, the ASSEP method yielded reproducible tUlîing curves with qualitative and quantitative parameters similar to other physiologic measures of tuning obtained in various animais. 010 dB values were greater at 2 than at1 kHz, reflecting the well-known correlation between sharpness of tuning and central frequency. ln humans, ASSEP 010 dB values were slightly smaller than the psychophysical ones, but were greater by a factor of 2 than those obtained with previously published electrophysiologic procedures. ln both species, detuning-a shift of the tip of the curve away from the probe frequency-was frequently observed as upward shifts with a maximal value of 200 Hz. Human psychophysical tuning curves also showed a certain amount of upward detuning. The intraindividual comparison of the two types of probes performed on human sUbjects with the psychophysical method did not indicate a specific effect of the amplitude-modulated probe on the curve parameters. Neither did the intraindividual comparisons indicate that an amplitude-modulated probe per se promoted detuning. Detuning has been observed with several other techniques and is usually attributed to nonlinear interactions between masker and probe in simultaneous masking.Conclusions: The results demonstrate the feasibility of measuring realistic ASSEP tuning curves in sedated dogs and in sleeping human

No abstract