The study by Sugita et al. (2008) deprived infant monkeys of visual experience with faces for 1 month to 2 years, and then selectively exposed them to either human or monkey faces. The findings from the study best demonstrate that the face perception system is:Single choice
A
Experience-dependent
B
Governed by a critical period
C
Experience-expectant
D
Experience-expectant and experience-dependent

Question

The study by Sugita et al. (2008) deprived infant monkeys of visual experience with faces for 1 month to 2 years, and then selectively exposed them to either human or monkey faces. The findings from the study best demonstrate that the face perception system is:Single choice

A

Experience-dependent

B

Governed by a critical period

C

Experience-expectant

D

Experience-expectant and experience-dependent

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Face perception in primates is both experience-expectant and experience-dependent because the brain has an early, broad readiness for faces that is then tuned by the specific faces it encounters.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Experience-expectant processes: neural systems develop expecting species-typical input (e.g., faces); early exposure stabilizes circuitry that would otherwise be prepared for that input.
- Experience-dependent processes: specific experiences after birth modify and refine neural circuits (e.g., tuning to conspecific vs. other-species faces).
- Critical period vs. sensitive period: a strict critical period implies irreversible loss of function if input is absent; sensitive periods allow plasticity but with changing receptivity over time.

2) Experimental setup and observations (step-by-step)
- Sugita et al. deprived infant macaques of all face exposure for 1 month to 2 years while allowing other visual input.
- After deprivation, monkeys were selectively exposed only to human faces or only to monkey faces.
- Monkeys initially displayed a broad preference for face-like stimuli (showing an innate predisposition).
- Subsequent selective exposure produced species-specific tuning: monkeys raised with human faces preferentially recognized human faces, while those exposed to monkey faces showed normal conspecific preferences.

3) Reasoning and intermediate inferences
- The initial broad preference indicates an experience-expectant component: the visual system is prepared to process faces even without early experience.
- The shift to species-specific preferences after selective exposure demonstrates experience-dependent plasticity: the specific category (human vs. monkey faces) that becomes best recognized depends on the actual visual input.
- Because selective exposure could sculpt preferences after varying deprivation lengths, the data indicate plasticity rather than an irreversible critical window.

4) Why the correct answer fits
- The combination "experience-expectant and experience-dependent" precisely captures both the innate preparedness for faces and the role of postnatal visual experience in shaping detailed face representations.

5) Why the other choices are incorrect
- "Experience-dependent" alone omits the innate, prepared nature (initial face preference) shown by deprived infants.
- "Experience-expectant" alone ignores the demonstrated tuning by specific exposure.
- "Governed by a critical period" is incorrect because the findings show notable plasticity beyond a narrowly fixed, irreversible window.

Conclusion: The study’s pattern—initial preparedness plus later experience-driven tuning—supports the answer “Experience-expectant and experience-dependent,” which matches the provided correct answer.

The study by Sugita et al. (2008) deprived infant monkeys of visual experience with faces for 1 month to 2 years, and then selectively exposed them to either human or monkey faces. The findings from the study best demonstrate that the face perception system is:Single choice

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