Journal of Experimental Psychology

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance: Individual Differences in Adaptive Coding of Face Identity Are Linked to Individual Differences in Face Recognition Ability

Authors: Gillian Rhodes, Linda Jeffery, Libby Taylor, William G. Hayward

Volume: 40, No. 3

Pages: 897-903

Year: 2014

Introduction:

The experiments performed in this article were performed in order to what is connected to our ability to differentiate between thousands of faces despite their many similarities. It appears that there are two processes that control this peculiar ability; Universal integration of varying data from the face and adaptively recognizing identities using the norms from our life experiences. Newly acquired data tells us that our individual facial recognition abilities differ between one another and are concomitant with our general coding differences. The aftereffects of our selective bias facial recognition ability shows an adaptation of a higher level facial recognition and coding processes and have are extremely difficult to explain with the processes that give us the ability to differentiate simple shapes.

Method:

As there are many factors involved in the facial recognition many test were performed. The first was to discover any possible evidence of stable individual differences in face identity aftereffects and if they are interconnected to our ability to recognize faces. In order to do this the Cambridge Face Memory Test was utilized to measure our ability to recognize faces. Based on the test an old-new examination of memory recognition was created for this same experiment. In order to develop any indicators of selective facial recognition another test from Cambridge, the Cambridge Car Memory Test was utilized. The second was to find if we are able to recognize faces within our own race more easily in comparison to other races. In order to do this an old-new examination of other race and own race faces were presented to the subjects of Caucasian heritage.

Results:

The results of these experiments according to Mahalanobis distances did not demonstrate any multivariate outliers. The majority of the data collected was normally distributed except that of the CFMT, but according to the acceptable limits of parametric analysis the skew and kurtosis were acceptable. Within our selective ability to recognize faces there were noteworthy positive correlations between the CFMT and own-race recognition. On the other hand, there were negative correlations between the CCMT and non-face recognition. In the test for facial recognition for own race and other races the results were biased towards own race recognition. This alludes that our ability to recognize faces within our own race is easier than that of other races.

Implications:

This article implies that our ability to recognize faces is unique and differs greatly from our basic ability

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