Neurocognitive mechanism of human body form perception

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Boris Suchan
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: from 2009 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 160707918

The goal of this research proposal is to continue the work on investigating the mechanism in which bodies and faces are processed in a different way.During the first funding period, we conducted 5 studies. In three studies we asked the question if bodies are processed holistically. Results suggest that holistic processing is more pronounced in faces if compared to bodies (Soria Bauser, Suchan & Daum, 2011). Additionally we could show that these processes are reflected by the so called P200 EEG component (Soria Bauser, Schwierer & Suchan, under revision). First results of a third fMRI study on this topic suggest that holistic information are processed in face-sensitive areas.We could further show, that processing of configural first order information are important for body processing. These information are processes within the time range of the N170 EEG component (Soria Bauser & Suchan, 2013). In a further fMRI study we investigated in which cortical areas of the brain configural first order information are processed. Results suggest that body related first order configural information are processed in the middle occipital gyrus, the lingual gyrus. In contrast, the anterior cingulate cortex and the cuneus were especially involved in face processing.For the second funding period we would like to investigate in which way the face-sensitive and body sensitive networks interact. Additionally we will investigate which mechanisms are relevant for the perception of bodies. A special focus will be set on the similarities in the processing of bodies and faces described in the literature so far suggesting a specific role of the position of the head.On the basis of these finding we would like to address the following questions:(1) can the effective connectivity between the primary visual cortex and the overlapping representation of the FFA and FBA be modulated by the visibility of the head (study 1)? (2) can the functional connectivity, depending on the seed region, between FFA and OFA and between FBA and EBA be modulated for the processing of bodies without a head (study 2)? (3) are configural first order information as well as structural information more important for the processing of bodies if compared to faces? Are holistic and configural second order information possible responsible for face processing (study 3 and 4)?(4) our results are in line with the following hypothesis: the relevance of the head in body processing is comparable with the relevance of eye related information for face processing (study 3 and 4).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants