Painting Experience Enhances Facial Identity And Facial Expression Recognition

In the previous research of face recognition training(Hussain, Sekuler & Bennett,2009; Chiller Glaus., 2009; Dolzycka et al., 2014), training methods involve on learning and identification of erect and inverted face, front view face and different point of view face; and having course of portraits, the training methods may open the participants to spatial relation processing ability of face structure and feature information. Chen’s(2012) research found that music training enhances face recognition, the author thinks that note contains rich spatial relation information, music experts may process spatial relation processing ability during music reading,it can also promote face recognition.Face recognition depends on the spatial relationship between facial features(Zhangyu &You Xuqun, 2008).There are some common features between painting and face recognition. Firstly,painting involves the using of line, color, shape and composition, a process which contains spatial information. After a long period of painting training, individuals have excellent spatial relation processing ability. And study revealed that the ability of spatial relation processing could predict the level of painting. The processing of face was considered as a configural processing, spatial relation plays an important role on face recognition. Therefore, painting training can improve the ability of spatial relation processing, which could further improve face processing. Secondly, the temporal fusiform gyrus is also an important region for face recognition, which was called the Fusiform Face Area(FFA), and long-term painting training might induce the change of the structure and function of the brain region related to face processing, which further influence the ability of face recognition. Painting as an important way of aesthetic education, could develop individual spatial relation processing ability, it is worthwhile to explore whether this will affect face recognition.Based on these consideration, we hypothesize that painting experience wouldimprove facial identity and facial expression recognition. In the present study, we conduct 5 experiments to test this hypothesis. We reported experiment 1 to assess spatial relation processing ability between art specialty and other majors, which each group has more than 30 participants. We conducted mental rotation tasks to investigate participants’ spatial relation processing ability. In experiment 2, we explore the processing of face, note and animal brief strokes picture in art specialty and other majors using a visual match task. In the experiment 2, the study picture(the first picture)and the test picture(the second picture) are presented subsequently. This task may introduce mental course of the visual memory. Therefore, in order to exclude the influence of visual memory on the present experimental effect, we conduct experiment4, in which the study picture and the test picture are presented synchronously. We explore the processing of face, note, animals contour and chair pictures in art specialty and other majors using a modified visual match task.In experiment 3, we conducted facial expression recognition task contrasted to facial identity recognition in experiment 2. In experiment 5, we conducted facial expression recognition task contrasted to facial expression recognition in experiment 3 using a modified visual match task as experiment 4, contrasted to facial identity recognition in experiment 4.Results of experiment 1 show that art specialty has higher accuracy and spatial ability.In experiment 2 and experiment 4, the accuracy is higher for art specialty than other majors in processing pictures. We observed a clear benefit in the art specialty to other majors-- art specialty responded more accurate to other majors. Art specialty has the advantages of recognition on face identity, note, animal brief strokes, animal contours and chair pictures.In experiment 5, the accuracy of facial expression recognition task is higher for art specialty than other majors in processing pictures, but there are no difference on accuracy and response speed in experiment 3, and there are no difference on response speed in five experiments. We observed a clear benefit in the facial identity recognition to facial expression recognition--participants responded more accurate, to facial identity recognition to facial expression recognition. Art specialty has the advantages of recognition on neutral face, note, animal brief strokes, animals contour and chair pictures, except emotional face. Facial expression contains complicated spatial information, it is more difficult to identify than facial identity.In conclusion, the present study proves that painting experience improves space relationship processing capacity, and promotes facial identity and facial expression recognition. It can enhance our understanding of the efficacy of painting, and enhance our understanding of the mechanism of face recognition. What’s more, the present study reveals function of painting comprehensively and deeply, and provides suggestions for the cultivation of aesthetic education which should pay attention to observation,including spatial relations processing capacity, the whole processing capacity and visual experience. Anyway, it proves that human visual system is plastic, and provide a new suggestion or method for exploiting the potential of face recognition and for curing the vision disorders.Research results show that: first, the painting experience improve spatial relation processing ability; Second, painting experience promote face identity recognition, and also promote the other general visual object recognition which contains the spatial relation(including notes, animal brief strokes, animals contour and chair); Third,eliminate the influence of visual working memory, painting experience promote face expression recognition.That is to say, in the process of pure spatial relation task, art specialty show the advantage of spatial relation processing ability.The innovation of this study lies in: first, the study of psychological phenomenon and psychological law of aesthetic education mostly belongs to the experience of the argument and lack of scientific experiments. Painting practice will form difference of consciousness, but this is for demonstration of experience, not conducted empirical research. If we can prove the correctness of this experience, through the experiment reveals the internal logic rule, its key points migrated to observation of daily practice,will be provided to trainees a lot of convenience.Second, painting experience influence the development of spatial relation processing ability, but previous studies did not empirically investigate, belong to experience more argument. In this paper, we explore it through the empirical research: whether painting experience influence the development of spatial relation processing ability or not.Third, although some research illustrates spatial relation processing ability is closely relate to face recognition(DeGutis et al., 2007; Gruter, Gruter & Carbon, 2008; Russell et al., 2009), but empirical research is relatively lacking.Fourth, this research is focused on the individual’s ability formed in the natural environment. The excellent spatial relation processing ability under the training ofnatural accumulation condition, compared to the training of experimental conditions, is closer to the ecological validity, that is the special point about this study.