Strange-face illusions during eye-to-eye gazing in dyads: specific effects on derealization, depersonalization and dissociative identity

Strange-face-in-the-mirror illusions: specific effects on derealization, depersonalization, and dissociative identity

Anomalous strange-face illusions (SFIs) are produced when mirror gazing under a low level of face illumination. In contrast to past studies in which an observer's task was to pay attention to the reflected face and to perceive potential facial changes, the present research used a mirror gazing task (MGT) that instructed participants to fixate their gaze on a 4-mm hole in a glass mirror. The participants' eye-blink rates were thus measured without priming any facial changes. Twenty-one healthy young individuals participated in the MGT and a control panel-fixation task (staring at a hole in a gray non-reflective panel). The Revised Strange-Face Questionnaire (SFQ-R) indexed derealization (deformations of facial features; FD), depersonalization (bodily face detachment; BD), and dissociative identity (new or unknown identities; DI) scales. Mirror-fixation increased FD, BD, and DI scores compared to panel-fixation. In mirror-fixation, FD scores revealed fading specific to facial features, distinct from "classical" Troxler- and Brewster-fading. In mirror-fixation, eye-blink rates correlated negatively with FD scores. Panel-fixation produced low BD scores, and, in a few participants, face pareidolias as detected on FD scores. Females were more prone to early derealization and males to compartmentalization of a dissociative identity. SFQ-R may be a valuable instrument for measuring face-specific dissociation (FD, BD, DI) produced by MGT. Use of MGT and panel-fixation task for differential diagnoses between schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder is discussed.

Strange face illusions: A systematic review and quality analysis

BACKGROUND

Strange face illusions describe a range of visual apparitions that occur when an observer gazes at their image reflected in a mirror or at another person's face in a dimly lit room. The illusory effects range from mild alterations in colour, or contrast, to the perception of distorted facial features, or new strange faces.The current review critically evaluates studies investigating strange face illusions, their methodological quality, and existing interpretations.

METHOD

Searches conducted using Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect and the grey literature until June 2022 identified 21 studies (N = 1,132; healthy participants n = 1,042; clinical participants n = 90) meeting the inclusion criteria (i.e., providing new empirical evidence relating to strange face illusions). The total sample had a mean age of 28.3 years (SD = 10.31) and two thirds (67 %) of participants tested to date are female. Results are reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review was preregistered at the Open Science Framework (OSF: https://osf.io/ek48d).

RESULTS

Pooling data across studies, illusory new strange faces are experienced by 58% (95%CI 48 to 68) of nonclinical participants. Study quality as assessed by the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS) revealed that 3/21 (14.28%) studies were rated as high, 9/21 (42.86%) as moderate and 9/21 (42.86%) as low quality. Whilst the items relating specifically to reporting quality scored quite highly, those relating to study design and possible biases were lower and more variable. Overall, study quality accounted for 87% of the variance in reporting rates for strange faces, with higher quality being associated with lower illusion rates. The prevalence of illusions was also significantly greater in samples that were older, had higher proportions of female participants and for the interpersonal dyad (IGDT) compared to the mirror gaze paradigm (MGT). The moderating impact of study quality persisted in a multiple meta-regression involving participant age, paradigm type (IGDT vs MGT) and level of feature distortion. Our review point to the importance of reduced light levels, face stimuli and prolonged eye fixation for strange face illusions to emerge.

CONCLUSION

Strange face illusions reliably occur in both mirror-gazing and interpersonal gazing dyad paradigms. Further research of higher quality is required to establish the prevalence and particularly, the mechanisms underpinning strange face illusions.

An exploration of the antecedents and mechanisms causing athletes' stress and twisties symptom

Research background

Twisties symptoms have attracted the world's attention in the sports field since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Aim

However, studies on the symptoms and causes, inducing mechanisms, and relationships between DP/DR (Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder) and anxiety and depression for athletes have been sparse for both the general population and athletes. The literature on the twisties issue of athletes is quite scarce in the past.

Research method

Adopting the criteria appealing to PRISMA Items to review the subject twisties in a broader mode and combing with the IPO (Input-Process-Output) model for triangulation testing purpose, this study categorized the literature to explore input variables causing athletes’ twisties and identified process variables in psychological mechanisms bridging suppression and finally discussed the existing possible ways in helping athletes to solve problems caused by twisties.

Results

The authors formed 6 propositions in summarizing twisties' influential factors and mechanisms and tried to propose solutions to reduce the stress and the relevant twisties symptom of athletes. (1) Promotion of Athletes' Mental Toughness to Resist Stressors. (2) Interventions that correct for cognitive misinterpretations and appropriate relaxation and mindfulness practice in correcting a range of attention might reduce DP/DR. (3) Monitoring the athlete's HRV test results to ensure the Athlete's ability to resist pressure. (4) Avoid organizational stressors. (5) Written Emotional Disclosure method. (6) Improve various support systems for athletes: dual career paths. (7) Athletes' Stressful Awareness about the impact of gender, seniority, and environment.

Conclusion

Through the theoretical dialogue on the symptom of twisties, this study helps promote the development of the research of “twisties” and depersonalization-derealization symptoms (DDS); both have been under-researched.

Visual perception and dissociation during Mirror Gazing Test in patients with anorexia nervosa: a preliminary study

PURPOSE

It has been widely shown that dissociative features might play a fundamental role in producing body image distortions in patients affected by eating disorders. Here, we hypothesize that the Mirror Gazing Test (MGT), a task consisting in mirror exposure in a condition of sensory deprivation, would elicit dissociative symptoms in a group of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN).

METHODS

Fourteen patients with AN and fourteen healthy controls (HC) underwent a 10 min MGT and completed the Strange Face Questionnaire and a short version of the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale, along with a psychological assessment for eating disorders psychopathology, anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

AN patients reported a higher number of strange-face apparitions and dissociative sensations than HC during the MGT. Dissociative identity (compartmentalization of two or more identities) and depersonalization (detachment of bodily-self) were much higher in patients with AN than in HC. These findings were correlated with body dissatisfaction and disruption in interoceptive awareness.

CONCLUSION

Dissociation and body image dysfunction are strongly connected in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa. Future research should investigate the same aspects in other psychiatric conditions characterized by body image distortions, such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I, Experimental studies.

Split-mirror gazing increases dissociative states and illusions of self-identity

Previous studies found that mirror-gazing at the subject's reflected own face, under a low illumination level, produces acute dissociation. In the present study, a split-mirror was used, which divides the subject's reflected face vertically into two half-faces, and dissociative states were compared to single-mirror gazing. Twelve healthy naïve individuals, who were sampled from students of an Art Academy, volunteered in a within-subject experiment. Dissociative states were measured through a 9-item self-report questionnaire on three scales: illusions of face deformation (derealization); illusions of body detachment (depersonalization); illusions of different self-identity (dissociated identity). Results showed that split-mirror gazing increased dissociation with respect to single-mirror gazing. Illusions of different self-identity, such as double-identity (i.e., left-identity versus right-identity) or double-personality, increased during split-mirror gazing with respect to single-mirror gazing, whereas illusions of face deformation and body detachment were unchanged. Findings support the distinction between detachment and compartmentalization, and may provide a tool for experimental investigation of dissociative identity disorder (DID). Finally, the students' portraits illustrated illusions of self-identity in split-mirror gazing: left-identity (portrayed in the right side of drawings) displayed illusions of more negative personalities and/or emotions, while right-identity (portrayed in the left side) showed more positive features.

Dissociation during Mirror Gazing Test in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and functional movement disorders

INTRODUCTION

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) and functional movement disorders (FMD) seem to represent the two ends of a continuum where different clinical phenotypes represent the manifestation of a common framework, involving dissociation. The aim of the present study was to assess dissociation and its subcomponents through the Mirror Gazing Test (MGT) in these functional neurological disorders (FNDs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eleven patients with PNES, 17 with FMD, and 18 healthy controls (HCs) underwent a 10-minute MGT and completed the Strange Face Questionnaire (SFQ), an ad-hoc questionnaire assessing the sensations and perceptions they had looking in the mirror, and a short version of the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS).

RESULTS

Patients with PNES, FMD, and HCs did not differ at the total score of the SFQ. Patients with PNES scored higher than HCs at the SFQ-subscale Dissociative Identity/Compartmentalization, at the CADSS Total Score and at its subscale Dissociative Amnesia, while patients with FMD scored higher than HCs at the CADSS subscale Depersonalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with FMD reported more sensations falling in the detachment facet of dissociation, while patients with PNES in the compartmentalization one. We hypothesized that both facets of dissociation might be important pathophysiological processes for PNES and FMD and that different instruments (self-report clinical scales vs experimental tasks) might be able to detect different facets in different populations because they assess, respectively, "trait" and "state" dissociation.

Things That Go Bump in the Literature: An Environmental Appraisal of "Haunted Houses"

This paper contains a narrative overview of the past 20-years of environmental research on anomalous experiences attributed to "haunted house." This exercise served as a much-needed update to an anthology of noteworthy overviews on ghosts, haunts, and poltergeists (Houran and Lange, 2001b). We also considered whether new studies had incorporated certain recommendations made in this anthology. Our search revealed a relative paucity of studies (n = 66) on environmental factors that ostensibly stimulate haunt-type experiences. This literature was diverse and often lacked methodological consistency and adherence to the prior suggestions. However, critical consideration of the content revealed a recurring focus on six ambient variables: embedded (static) cues, lighting levels, air quality, temperature, infrasound, and electromagnetic fields. Their relation to the onset or structure of witness reports showed mostly null, though sometimes inconsistent or weak outcomes. However, such research as related to haunts is arguably in its infancy and new designs are needed to account better for environmental and architectural phenomenology. Future studies should therefore address four areas: (i) more consistent and precise measurements of discrete ambient variables; (ii) the potential role of "Gestalt influences" that involve holistic environment-person interactions; (iii) individual differences in attentional or perceptual sensitivities of percipients to environmental variables; and (iv) the role of attitudinal and normative influences in the interpretation of environmental stimuli. Focused scrutiny on these issues should clarify the explanatory power of evolutionary-environmental models for these and related anomalous experiences.