FACE-SENSITIVE EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS: AGE-RELATED CHANGES, RACE EFFECT, CONTACT, AND IMPLICIT BIAS

Early face-sensitive event-related potentials (ERPs) are modulated by age and race-of-face. Individual differences in implicit bias and race experience influence such race effects, but this remains largely unexplored. Thus, we examined children’s and adults’ P100s and N170s to own- and other-race faces and their relation with race experience and implicit racial bias. Children showed larger and more delayed P100s and N170s than adults. Also, 8- to 10-year-olds displayed earlier P100s to other-race faces, while 5- to 7- year-olds showed earlier left N170s to own-race faces. In adults, greater own-race experience was associated with delayed left N170s to own-race faces. Greater own-race bias was associated with earlier right P100s to own-race faces in 5- to 7-year-olds and smaller left P100 to N170 peak-to-peak amplitudes to own-race faces in 8- to 10-yearolds. Individual differences in age, race experience, and implicit racial bias should be considered when examining ERPs to own- and other-race faces.