Cultural background modulates how we look at other persons’ gaze

Abstract

The current study investigated the role of cultural norms on the development of face-scanning. British and Japanese adults’ eye movements were recorded while they observed avatar faces moving their mouth, and then their eyes toward or away from the participants. British participants fixated more on the mouth, which contrasts with Japanese participants fixating mainly on the eyes. Moreover, eye fixations of British participants were less affected by the gaze shift of the avatar than Japanese participants, who shifted their fixation to the corresponding direction of the avatar’s gaze. Results are consistent with the Western cultural norms that value the maintenance of eye contact, and the Eastern cultural norms that require flexible use of eye contact and gaze aversion.

Cultural Modulation of Face and Gaze Scanning in Young Children

“…These results are generally consistent with McCarthy et al [16,17], who reported that Caucasian adults tended to hold eye contact with an interviewer for longer durations when answering cognitively demanding questions, while Eastern Asian (Japanese) adults broke eye contact relatively easily in the same situation (but see also 18). Conversely, changes in mouth movements did not affect face gaze in either population in Senju et al [15]. Furthermore, this effect found in Senju et al [15] was more pronounced in males than in females, suggesting that the effects of cultural norms on face and gaze processing are manifested more strongly in males.…”

“…Conversely, changes in mouth movements did not affect face gaze in either population in Senju et al [15]. Furthermore, this effect found in Senju et al [15] was more pronounced in males than in females, suggesting that the effects of cultural norms on face and gaze processing are manifested more strongly in males. Further studies are required to see how differences in gender-related cultural norm interact with face-scanning behaviour.…”

“…Each software applied the same filter (10 pixels fixation radius) to the raw data. Then, we calculated the visit duration for each stimulus, using the following areas of interest (AOIs); front eye, back eye, bridge, centre and mouth, as in Senju et al [15]. Note that faces are tilted either to the right or to the left, one of the eyes is always closer to the observer (i.e.…”

“…Secondly, Senju et al [15] recorded the eye movements of Western European (British) and Eastern Asian (Japanese) adults while they observed dynamic faces presenting different facial actions, such as changing gaze direction (looking towards or away from the observer) and changing mouth movement (smiling or opening mouth). They reported more fixations on the mouth area in British than in Japanese participants, and more fixations on the eyes in Japanese than in British participants, replicating other studies using static images of faces [9–11].…”

“…The current study aimed to test the culture-specific pattern of face gaze in response to a dynamic display containing multiple face actions, using similar paradigm as in Senju [15]. The age range of 1-7 years was selected because it is the approximate age at which a child starts attending nursery and/or kindergarten, and thus starts encountering peers and other adults more frequently.…”