Adults exhibit relative behavioral difficulties in processing inanimate, artificial faces compared to real human faces, with implications for using artificial faces in research and designing artificial social agents. However, the developmental trajectory of inanimate face perception is unknown. To address this gap, we used electroencephalography to investigate inanimate faces processing in cross-sectional groups of 5–10-year-old children and adults. A face inversion manipulation was used to test whether face animacy processing relies on expert face processing strategies. Groups of 5-7-year-olds (N = 18), 8-10-year-olds (N = 18), and adults (N = 16) watched pictures of real or doll faces presented in an upright or inverted orientation. Analyses of event-related potentials revealed larger N170 amplitudes in response to doll faces, irrespective of age group or face orientation. Thus, the N170 is sensitive to face animacy by 5–7 years of age, but such sensitivity may not reflect high-level, expert face processing. Multivariate pattern analyses of the EEG signal additionally assessed whether animacy information could be reliably extracted during face processing. Face orientation, but not face animacy, could be reliably decoded from occipitotemporal channels in children and adults. Face animacy could be decoded from whole scalp channels in adults, but not children. Together, these results suggest that 5-10-year-old children exhibit some sensitivity to face animacy over occipitotemporal regions that is comparable to adults.

与真实的人脸相比，成年人在处理无生命的人脸时表现出相对的行为困难，这暗示着在研究和设计人为社会媒介时使用人脸。但是，无生命的面部感知的发展轨迹是未知的。为了解决这一差距，我们使用脑电图技术研究了5-10岁儿童和成人横断面组中无生命面孔的处理情况。使用面部反转操作来测试面部动画处理是否依赖于专家面部处理策略。5至7岁（N = 18），8-10-岁（N = 18）和成人（N = 16）的组观看了以直立或倒立方向呈现的真实或娃娃脸的照片。对事件相关电位的分析显示，响应娃娃脸时，N170振幅更大，不论年龄段或脸型如何。因此，N170对5至7岁的面部表情敏感，但这种敏感性可能无法反映出高水平的专业面部处理能力。EEG信号的多元模式分析还评估了在面部处理过程中是否可以可靠地提取动画信息。可以从儿童和成人的枕颞通道可靠地解码出面部朝向，而不是面部生气。可以从成年人的整个头皮通道解码脸部反感，但不能从儿童中解码。总之，这些结果表明5-10岁的儿童在枕颞区域表现出一定的敏感性，可以与成年人相提并论。专家面部处理。EEG信号的多元模式分析还评估了在面部处理过程中是否可以可靠地提取动画信息。可以从儿童和成人的枕颞通道可靠地解码出面部朝向，而不是面部生气。可以从成年人的整个头皮通道解码脸部反感，但不能从儿童中解码。总之，这些结果表明5-10岁的儿童在枕颞区域表现出一定的敏感性，可以与成年人相提并论。专家面部处理。EEG信号的多元模式分析还评估了在面部处理过程中是否可以可靠地提取动画信息。可以从儿童和成人的枕颞通道可靠地解码出面部朝向，而不是面部生气。可以从成年人的整个头皮通道解码脸部反感，但不能从儿童中解码。总之，这些结果表明5-10岁的儿童在枕颞区域表现出一定的敏感性，可以与成年人相提并论。可以从成年人的整个头皮通道解码脸部反感，但不能从儿童中解码。总之，这些结果表明5-10岁的儿童在枕颞区域表现出一定的敏感性，可以与成年人相提并论。可以从成年人的整个头皮通道解码脸部反感，但不能从儿童中解码。总之，这些结果表明5-10岁的儿童在枕颞区域表现出一定的敏感性，可以与成年人相提并论。