N250r ERP repetition effects from distractor faces when attending to another face under load: Evidence for a face attention resource

Recently, evidence for a face-specific attentional resource was suggested, which limits simultaneous processing to only one face. In the present Experiment 1, we manipulated perceptual load using two central item types (CITs: small central buildings or unfamiliar faces). To test whether distractor face processing is effectively prevented by face targets, CITs were superimposed on large famous distractor faces. ERPs were measured to subsequent faces, which could be a repetition or non-repetition of the previous distractor face. In Experiment 2, we used famous and unfamiliar faces as CITs under high load. For building CITs, we found common N250r repetition effects both under high and low load. For face CITs, N250r was reduced (Experiment 1) or even eliminated (Experiment 2) under high load. These findings support notions of a face-specific attentional resource which, at least under high demands, may limit processing to only one face at a time.