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This study investigated the effects of interference from a center stimulus on the recognition of faces presented in each visual half-field using the tachistoscoptic presentation. Based on prior studies, it was hypothesized that faces would be recognized nnre accurately based on outline features when presented to the Left visual field - Right hemisphere and on inner features for the Right visual field - Left hemisphere. It was also hypothesized that digits presented at center fixation would interfere most with the recognition of the inner details of faces presented to the right hemisphere, since recognizing both faces and digits requires high-frequency spectral analysis (Sergent, 1982b).Each stimulus was cinposed of either a number or a blank at center fixation and a face placed either to the left or right of fixation. The results indicated no performance differences due to the visual field of presentation. Recognition was most accurate when no center stimulus was present, and recognition of outer details was more accurate than recognition of inner details. Subjects tended to use top-to--bottan processing for faces in both visual fields.

The communication of facial affect is a poorly understood process. In a subthreshold priming task, subjects were asked to rate photographs of faces displayed in a tachistoscope. Faces exhibiting strong positive and negative expressions were shown at 10% below the subject's recognition level and masked. Following this, a photograph of the same individual exhibiting no expression, or neutrality, was exposed at a rate that was well above the subject's recognition level. The subject was asked to rate the second photograph, or target, as being either positive or negative. It was hypothesized that the evaluations of target photographs would be biased by the prior subthreshold presentation of a strong positive or negative prime. The results did not support the hypothesis. Subjects rated the neutral faces as being negative regardless of the prime. It is possible that the experimental procedure produced a negative bias that counteracted the potential biasing effect of the primes.

This thesis presents the initial exploratory research into an original and novel technique to enhance performance control in animatronics. An animatronic system is defined as a 3-D electro-mechanically driven facial model that can move in certain ways, when controlled by a human performer to create the "illusion of life" for a viewer. The vital elements in this form of performance are the synchronisation of lip movements to an acoustic speech signal and the animation of emotive expressions. A novel optical sensing technique is proposed based on the hypothesis that the input of distinctive articulatory or emotive movements from the performer's face would provide a more 'natural' form of control. The principle that the movement of a minimal set of points at key positions on the face can produce sufficient control information to describe the overall action is proposed to achieve this hypothesis. A comprehensive investigation into human communication, including visual speech perception and non-verbal facial expression, to define the optimum set of key points is described. Conclusions are also drawn on the primary facial actions required for successful lip synchronisation. Both the theoretical and practical aspects of the realisation of a prototype system are described. A methodology is presented for the assessment of the sensing system and the overall objectives based on the design and construction of an animatronic face, of the same dimensions as the researcher's, to produce animation of the desired actions with similar displacements. Objective analysis is achieved through the comparison of measurements by the sensor system from the performer's key point movements and those of the animatronic model. Perceptual data is generated through the visual analysis of the animated facial movement. The results and analysis of the investigations are presented in the thesis. The thesis discusses results obtained which indicate that, given certain valid assumptions, the sensor system is capable of consistent facial motion detection. It can provide sufficient control for the animatronic model to produce a limited set of facial actions in a realistic manner. Results indicate the possibilities for improved lip synchronisation and, hence, "overall character" performance.

To date, relatively little research has investigated participants’ ability to monitor their memory for faces and names. Four experiments were conducted with aim of developing a comprehensive profile of memory monitoring performance during face identification tasks. In each experiment, memory monitoring judgements were solicited during encoding and/or retrieval of unfamiliar face-name pairs. In general, subjective estimates of future and past memory performance were valid predictors of objective memory performance, regardless of whether a face or name was the item to be retrieved from memory. As a test of the stability of memory monitoring accuracy across different categories of stimuli, memory monitoring for face-name pairs was compared with noun-noun pairs. The predictive validity of estimates of future memory performance was similar across the categories of stimuli, but the predictive validity of estimates of past memory performance was superior for nouns compared with names. A subset of the studies examined the influence of face and name distinctiveness on memory and memory monitoring for face-name associations. This was done in an attempt to identify sources of information that individuals might use to monitor their memory during face-name learning. The beneficial effects of distinctiveness on associative memory were symmetrical between faces and names, such that relative to their typical counterparts, distinct faces enhanced memory for names, and distinct names enhanced memory for faces. These effects were also apparent in memory monitoring. Estimates of future and past memory performance were greater for face-name associations that contained a distinct face or name compared with a typical face or name, regardless of whether the distinct item was a cue or target. Moreover, the predictive validity of prospective monitoring improved with name distinctiveness, whereas the predictive validity of retrospective monitoring improved with facial distinctiveness. Altogether, the results of the dissertation indicate that participants can monitor their memory for faces and names at a level above chance, that retrospective metamemory is more accurate for nouns compared with names, and that distinctiveness not only affects the strength of the association between a face and a name, but also the ability to monitor that association.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Dallas, 2007. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-117)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Dallas, 2007. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-73)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Dallas, 2007. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-58)

Thesis (Ph.D)--University of Tulsa, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-115).

Thesis (Ph. D. in Sociology)--Vanderbilt University, Aug. 2008. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.