Previous studies had reported qualitatively identical holistic face processing (using the composite task) already in 6-year-olds. In the present study, we evaluated these processes quantitatively by evaluating whether children are less efficient in dealing with and encoding faces. Thus, in the present study we explored the time course of holistic processing in children and adults by manipulating stimulus presentation time. The study composite task was presented for 800 ms. The test composite face was presented either for 183 ms or 800 ms. Our youngest participants, 6-year-olds, process faces holistically with the same efficiency as typical adults.

先前的研究报告说，已经在6岁儿童中进行了质量相同的整体面部处理（使用复合任务）。在本研究中，我们通过评估儿童在处理和编码面部方面是否效率较低来对这些过程进行定量评估。因此，在本研究中，我们通过操纵刺激的呈现时间探索了儿童和成人整体处理的时间过程。研究复合任务的持续时间为800毫秒。测试复合面的显示时间为183 ms或800 ms。我们最年轻的参与者（6岁）整体面对面部表情的效率与普通成年人相同。