hide
Free keywords:
-
Abstract:
This study probes whether a prosopagnosic patient can make accurate explicit
affective judgements towards faces. Patient MJH was shown photographs of faces
of well-liked family members and public figures rated as ‘‘evil’’ by opinion polls.
MJH was asked to rate each face on two 7-point scales (Likeability and
Pleasantness). Since he is unable to explicitly recognise faces, his ratings were
based on his evaluative reaction to the faces presented. In a second phase of the
experiment, MJH was told the name of the faces previously presented and asked to
rate them using the same scales. MJH’s Likeability ratings during the pictureviewing
phase of the experiment and the explicit phase were highly correlated.
Based on these findings, we propose that thought consists of an explicit declarative
and an implicit emotional aspect, which may become dissociated in prosopagnosia.
