This project replicates Yates & Lewkowicz (2023) to validate the composite face effect (CFE) paradigm in neurotypical adults before replicating the study in children and adults with autism.
This project was preregistered on OSF. Please note: While the core analytical approach adheres to the preregistration, some coding procedures were adapted during implementation. All primary hypotheses and statistical tests remain as originally specified.
Citation: Yates, T. S., & Lewkowicz, D. J. (2023). Robust Holistic Face Processing in Early Childhood During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 105676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105676
Research Question: When does holistic face processing (measured by the composite face effect) emerge in typically developing children? How does masking due to the Covid-19 pandemic might influence children's face perception?
Key Findings: Children as young as 4 years old demonstrate the composite face effect, indicating early emergence of holistic face processing.
- Participants: Adults (n=25) instead of children aged 4-6
- Trials: 96 trials instead of 36
- Stimuli: Grayscale faces instead of face images with colored top-halves (64 face pairs available)
- Timing: Fixed presentation (1000ms) and response windows (3000ms)
- Additional measures: Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2 Adult)
├── original_paper/ # Original study materials and readings
├── stimuli/ # Experiment stimuli and files
├── data/ # Raw data files and demographics data excel file
├── codes/ # Main study script and analysis scripts
└── README.md