Acta Psychologica Sinica

Abstract

The difference of memory encoding on Eastern and Western faces (DM effect) and the neural mechanisms of other race effect were studied by using event-related potential (ERP) experiments. The present results showed that the early components (peak latency 70–120ms) at frontal scalp elicited by Western faces have a more positive-going than those elicited by Eastern faces regardless of recalling or not. This suggests that more resources are cost to other race faces in the early stage of processing, and thus supports the characteristic selective theory of other race effect. The late positive component (LPC) evoked by recognized faces is more positive-going than that by not memorized regardless of Eastern or Western faces. However, the DM effect elicited by Western faces is smaller at the latency range 240 to 320 ms. Moreover, there is an obvious N260 at occipital area for the Eastern faces, but none or very small N260 for the Western faces. The N260 reflects the different encoding manner to different race faces in the brain and we are reasonable to call it “Specific Race Component”.

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