Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation (FPVS) combined with electroencephalography (EEG)is increasingly used to characterize neural mechanisms of visuo-perceptual processingof face identity processing. We developed a novel paradigm to measure implicit identitylearning through repetition using ecologically valid stimuli involving variationscharacteristic of forensic material. A demographically diverse cohort of neurotypicalcivilians and law enforcement professionals with normal face processing abilitiesserved as participants. We measured neural responses to a 1-Hz tagged oddballidentity embedded within a 6-Hz stream of base images, using high-quality mugshot,and CCTV-like stimuli. Extending previous findings, we report neural signatures ofimplicit identity learning through brief, repeated, passive exposure. Critically, however,this was only found for high-quality mugshot, but not CCTV-like images. We suggestthat our method could prove valuable in forensic settings where objective validation offace processing ability is crucial but not commonplace, e.g., assessment of lawenforcement experts and eyewitnesses.
Nguyen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.