Cross-cultural evidence of a space-ethnicity association in face categorisation

Abstract According to a space-valence association, individuals tend relate negatively- and positively-connoted stimuli with the left right side of space, respectively. So far, only few studies have explored whether this phenomenon can also emerge for social dimensions associated facial stimuli. Here, we adopted cross-cultural approach conducted two experiments main aim test left–right association other- vs. own-race faces. Asian Japanese (Experiment 1) White Italian 2) participants engaged in speeded binary classification task which central placed face had be classified as either or White. Manual responses were provided through left- right-side button. In both experiments, other-race faces elicited faster than faces, line well-documented categorisation advantage. Moreover, evidence an between space ethnic membership arose and, interestingly, was similar groups. Indeed, responded key left-side key, whereas response no effect These results are discussed regard possible differences group perception.