Event-related brain potential correlates of the other-race effect: A review

Tuettenberg, Simone C.; Wiese, Holger

Abstract

People are better at remembering own-race relative to other-race faces. Here, we review event-related brain potential (ERP) correlates of this so-called other-‘race’ effect (ORE) by discussing three critical aspects that characterize the neural signature of this phenomenon. First, difficulties with other-race faces initially emerge during perceptual processing, which is indexed by an increased N170. Second, as evidenced by ‘difference due to subsequent memory’ effects, more effortful processing of other-race faces is needed for successful encoding into long-term memory. Third, ERP old/new effects reveal that a stronger engagement of processing resources is also required for successful retrieval of other-race faces from memory. The ERP evidence available to date thus suggests widespread ethnicity-related modulations during both perceptual and mnemonic processing stages. We further discuss how findings from the ORE compared with potentially related memory biases (e.g. other-gender or other-age effects) and how ERP findings inform the ongoing debate regarding the mechanisms underlying the ORE. Finally, we outline open questions and potential future directions with an emphasis on using multiple, ecologically more valid ‘ambient’ images for each face to assess the ORE in paradigms that capture identity rather than image recognition.

Citation

Tuettenberg, S. C., & Wiese, H. (2023). Event-related brain potential correlates of the other-race effect: A review. British Journal of Psychology, 114(S1), 23-44. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12591

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 4, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Aug 26, 2022
• Publication Date: 2023-05
• Deposit Date: Aug 29, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 30, 2022
• Journal: British Journal of Psychology
• Print ISSN: 0007-1269
• Electronic ISSN: 2044-8295
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 114
• Issue: S1
• Pages: 23-44
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12591
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1196238
• Additional Information: Article from Special Issue: Bridging the gap between intergroup and face perception research: Understanding the mechanisms underlying the other‐‘race’ effect