Séminaire interne : Nicholas WILKINSON

Results showing ‘newborn face preference’ are widely cited as evidence for an innate neural face detector, yet the primary literature has not been systematically reviewed. We report a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies comparing newborns’ attention to face-like versus non-face-like stimuli. Across 15 publications reporting 22 experiments, five studies tested face-naïve newborns (≤1 hr postnatal). Robust preference was observed for one face-like stimulus, but not another. Seventeen studies testing face-experienced newborns (2–7 days postnatal) mostly reported moderate-to-large face preference effects with a variety of stimuli. Moderate heterogeneity was observed in the 11 experiments amenable to meta-analysis. Conclusions supporting an innate face detector rested heavily on interpretative assumptions discounting the potential role of postnatal learning, based upon a flawed re-interpretation of a foundational result. Mass mis-citation of the original study has created a self-perpetuating myth of a robust, consistent evidence base which does not exist. Overall, the evidence reviewed here provides limited, inconsistent support for a general inborn face preference and little reason to suppose a dedicated innate face detection module.