1
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Tree JJ, Jones AL, Kramer RSS. Upright and inverted unfamiliar face-matching tasks - everything correlates everywhere all at once. Mem Cognit 2025:10.3758/s13421-025-01725-w. [PMID: 40335837 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-025-01725-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2025] [Indexed: 05/09/2025]
Abstract
In a key study, Megreya and Burton (Memory & Cognition, 34, 865-876, 2006) argued that identity-matching tasks using unfamiliar faces may not effectively measure general 'real-world' face-processing ability - that is they are "not faces". They observed a high correlation in performance between upright and inverted unfamiliar face matching, a pattern not seen with familiar faces, which they interpreted as indicating unfamiliar face matching is qualitatively different and largely driven by image-specific factors. However, the authors cautioned that this limitation likely applies only to unfamiliar face-matching tasks for identity rather than other types of face judgements (e.g., emotion). The present study replicates and extends these findings by considering within-subject performance for upright/inverted unfamiliar face matching across various paradigms (sequential/simultaneous presentation or sorting) and face-judgement types (identity or emotion), whilst considering different types of measures (accuracy and reaction time). Our results illustrated high correlations for upright/inverted conditions were universally observed within tasks for both accuracy and reaction times. Subsequent factor analyses indicated that upright and inverted conditions loaded together into task-specific latent variables. These results concur with the conclusions of Megreya and Burton (2006) and extend to both identity and emotion matching tasks - that is such tasks exhibit low construct validity for testing hypotheses about much general 'everyday' face processing. We propose that researchers should carefully consider alignment between their test materials and the theoretical 'constructs' they aim to measure, ensuring more accurate and meaningful interpretations of their results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy J Tree
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, University of Swansea, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK.
| | - Alex L Jones
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, University of Swansea, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Robin S S Kramer
- School of Psychology, Sport Science and Wellbeing, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
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2
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Dunn JD, Miellet S, White D. Information sampling differences supporting superior face identity processing ability. Psychon Bull Rev 2025; 32:801-811. [PMID: 39313677 PMCID: PMC12000253 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-024-02579-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Face recognition in humans is often cited as a model example of perceptual expertise that is characterized by an increased tendency to process faces as holistic percepts. However emerging evidence across different domains of expertise points to a critical role of feature-based processing strategies during the initial encoding of information. Here, we examined the eye-movement patterns of super-recognisers-individuals with extremely high face identification ability compared with the average person-using gaze-contingent "spotlight" apertures that restrict visual face information in real time around their point of fixation. As an additional contrast, we also compared their performance with that of facial examiners-highly trained individuals whose superiority has been shown to rely heavily on featural processing. Super-recognisers and facial examiners showed equivalent face matching accuracy in both spotlight aperture and natural viewing conditions, suggesting that they were equally adept at using featural information for face identity processing. Further, both groups sampled more information across the face than controls. Together, these results show that the active exploration of facial features is an important determinant of face recognition ability that generalizes across different types of experts.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Dunn
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Sebastien Miellet
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - David White
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
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3
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Arrington MN, Scherf KS. Investigating the stability of individual differences in face recognition behavior. Sci Rep 2025; 15:9425. [PMID: 40108241 PMCID: PMC11923172 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-90317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2025] [Indexed: 03/22/2025] Open
Abstract
Individual differences in face recognition abilities are characterized as heritable and resilient to change. However, this work is largely based on inter-individual differences, tends to include participants with extreme behavior (e.g., prosopagnosia, super-recognizers), and does not accommodate patterns of bias in intra-individual recognition behavior. Here, we investigated the continuity and stability of intra-individual differences in face recognition behavior among emerging adults using two tasks of unfamiliar face recognition that differ in the gender of the faces to be recognized. Although the estimate of stability is high (0.71) across the sample, there are instabilities in the behavior of many individual participants. For example, approximately 16.7% of the sample exhibited a discrepancy between tasks that was larger than 1 SD. Also, stability was more characteristic of extreme behavior. This is a bit surprising given the potential for close generalization of performance across these two tasks (identical structure and similar stimuli). Inter-individual differences in participant characteristics (i.e., gender, age, social skills) do not explain this variability. These findings are difficult to accommodate into current models of individual differences in face recognition behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myles N Arrington
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, 113 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - K Suzanne Scherf
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, 113 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Social Science Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, 113 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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4
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Wang G, Chen L, Cichy RM, Kaiser D. Enhanced and idiosyncratic neural representations of personally typical scenes. Proc Biol Sci 2025; 292:20250272. [PMID: 40132631 PMCID: PMC11936675 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2025] [Revised: 02/25/2025] [Accepted: 02/26/2025] [Indexed: 03/27/2025] Open
Abstract
Previous research shows that the typicality of visual scenes (i.e. if they are good examples of a category) determines how easily they can be perceived and represented in the brain. However, the unique visual diets individuals are exposed to across their lifetimes should sculpt very personal notions of typicality. Here, we thus investigated whether scenes that are more typical to individual observers are more accurately perceived and represented in the brain. We used drawings to enable participants to describe typical scenes (e.g. a kitchen) and converted these drawings into three-dimensional renders. These renders were used as stimuli in a scene categorization task, during which we recorded electroencephalography (EEG). In line with previous findings, categorization was most accurate for renders resembling the typical scene drawings of individual participants. Our EEG analyses reveal two critical insights on how these individual differences emerge on the neural level. First, personally typical scenes yielded enhanced neural representations from around 200 ms after onset. Second, personally typical scenes were represented in idiosyncratic ways, with reduced dependence on high-level visual features. We interpret these findings in a predictive processing framework, where individual differences in internal models of scene categories formed through experience shape visual analysis in idiosyncratic ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongting Wang
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics, Geography, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Lixiang Chen
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics, Geography, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Kaiser
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics, Geography, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Philipps-Universität Marburg and Technische Universität Darmstadt, Marburg, Germany
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5
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Amado S, Karataş MC, Yüvrük E, Kapucu A. EGEFACE: A new face memory test with static and dynamic images. Behav Res Methods 2025; 57:64. [PMID: 39838135 PMCID: PMC11750894 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02592-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2025]
Abstract
Face memory is a crucial cognitive ability necessary for maintaining a healthy social life. Recent studies reveal large individual differences in face recognition ability. Face memory tests are used to evaluate this ability. The main purpose of this study was to develop a new face memory test (EGEFACE) addressing the limitations of existing tests using both static and dynamic stimuli to increase ecological validity; employing face recognition algorithms to adjust test difficulty; measuring face memory accuracy independently of response bias by including both target-absent and target-present trials and using ROC analysis; and developing a test to measure both ends of the face recognition ability spectrum. After building a new database of static and dynamic faces, we created three difficulty levels using a face recognition algorithm. We collected data from 703 participants in two steps and examined the internal consistency, split-half reliability, and item-total score correlations. The reliability analysis confirmed that both target-absent and target-present trials of EGEFACE were reliable. High EGEFACE performers scored near super recognizer levels on CFMT+, while low performers showed limited overlap with prosopagnosic-level performance on CFMT+, suggesting EGEFACE's sensitivity across different levels of face recognition ability. Overall, results indicated a moderate positive correlation between EGEFACE and CFMT+, showing that both tests assess similar cognitive skills, while a low to moderate correlation with KFMT suggests that EGEFACE measures cognitive ability that is related to yet distinct from face perception. The results suggest that EGEFACE shows promise as an ecologically valid and effective alternative tool for assessing individual differences in face memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Amado
- Department of Psychology, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Murat C Karataş
- Department of Psychology, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye.
- Department of Psychology, Bursa Technical University, Yıldırım, 16320, Bursa, Türkiye.
| | - Elif Yüvrük
- Department of Psychology, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Muğla, Türkiye
| | - Aycan Kapucu
- Department of Psychology, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
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6
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Marini F, Manassi M, Ramon M. Super recognizers: Increased sensitivity or reduced biases? Insights from serial dependence. J Vis 2024; 24:13. [PMID: 39046722 PMCID: PMC11271810 DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.7.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Super recognizers (SRs) are people that exhibit a naturally occurring superiority for processing facial identity. Despite the increase of SR research, the mechanisms underlying their exceptional abilities remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether the enhanced facial identity processing of SRs could be attributed to the lack of sequential effects, such as serial dependence. In serial dependence, perception of stimulus features is assimilated toward stimuli presented in previous trials. This constant error in visual perception has been proposed as a mechanism that promotes perceptual stability in everyday life. We hypothesized that an absence of this constant source of error in SRs could account for their superior processing-potentially in a domain-general fashion. We tested SRs (n = 17) identified via a recently proposed diagnostic framework (Ramon, 2021) and age-matched controls (n = 20) with two experiments probing serial dependence in the face and shape domains. In each experiment, observers were presented with randomly morphed face identities or shapes and were asked to adjust a face's identity or a shape to match the stimulus they saw. We found serial dependence in controls and SRs alike, with no difference in its magnitude across groups. Interestingly, we found that serial dependence impacted the performance of SRs more than that of controls. Taken together, our results show that enhanced face identity processing skills in SRs cannot be attributed to the lack of serial dependence. Rather, serial dependence, a beneficial nested error in our visual system, may in fact further stabilize the perception of SRs and thus enhance their visual processing proficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiammetta Marini
- School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Mauro Manassi
- School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Meike Ramon
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- AIR - Association for Independent Research, Zürich, Switzerland
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7
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Volfart A, Rossion B. The neuropsychological evaluation of face identity recognition. Neuropsychologia 2024; 198:108865. [PMID: 38522782 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Facial identity recognition (FIR) is arguably the ultimate form of recognition for the adult human brain. Even if the term prosopagnosia is reserved for exceptionally rare brain-damaged cases with a category-specific abrupt loss of FIR at adulthood, subjective and objective impairments or difficulties of FIR are common in the neuropsychological population. Here we provide a critical overview of the evaluation of FIR both for clinicians and researchers in neuropsychology. FIR impairments occur following many causes that should be identified objectively by both general and specific, behavioral and neural examinations. We refute the commonly used dissociation between perceptual and memory deficits/tests for FIR, since even a task involving the discrimination of unfamiliar face images presented side-by-side relies on cortical memories of faces in the right-lateralized ventral occipito-temporal cortex. Another frequently encountered confusion is between specific deficits of the FIR function and a more general impairment of semantic memory (of people), the latter being most often encountered following anterior temporal lobe damage. Many computerized tests aimed at evaluating FIR have appeared over the last two decades, as reviewed here. However, despite undeniable strengths, they often suffer from ecological limitations, difficulties of instruction, as well as a lack of consideration for processing speed and qualitative information. Taking into account these issues, a recently developed behavioral test with natural images manipulating face familiarity, stimulus inversion, and correct response times as a key variable appears promising. The measurement of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in the frequency domain from fast periodic visual stimulation also appears as a particularly promising tool to complete and enhance the neuropsychological assessment of FIR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélique Volfart
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
| | - Bruno Rossion
- Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Université de Lorraine, CNRS, IMoPA, F-54000, Nancy, France.
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8
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Lowes J, Hancock PJB, Bobak AK. A new way of classifying developmental prosopagnosia: Balanced Integration Score. Cortex 2024; 172:159-184. [PMID: 38330779 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Despite severe everyday problems recognising faces, some individuals with developmental prosopagnosia (DP) can achieve typical accuracy scores on laboratory face recognition tests. To address this, studies sometimes also examine response times (RTs), which tend to be longer in DPs relative to control participants. In the present study, 24 potential (according to self-report) DPs and 110 age-matched controls completed the Cambridge Face and Bicycle Memory Tests, old new faces task, and a famous faces test. We used accuracy and the Balanced Integration Score (BIS), a measure that adjusts accuracy for RTs, to classify our sample at the group and individual levels. Subjective face recognition ability was assessed using the PI20 questionnaire and semi structured interviews. Fifteen DPs showed a major impairment using BIS compared with only five using accuracy alone. Logistic regression showed that a model incorporating the BIS measures was the most sensitive for classifying DP and showed highest area under the curve (AUC). Furthermore, larger between-group effect sizes were observed for a derived global (averaged) memory measure calculated using BIS versus accuracy alone. BIS is thus an extremely sensitive novel measure for attenuating speed-accuracy trade-offs that can otherwise mask impairment measured only by accuracy in DP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Lowes
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, United Kingdom.
| | - Peter J B Hancock
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Anna K Bobak
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, United Kingdom
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9
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Faghel-Soubeyrand S, Ramon M, Bamps E, Zoia M, Woodhams J, Richoz AR, Caldara R, Gosselin F, Charest I. Decoding face recognition abilities in the human brain. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae095. [PMID: 38516275 PMCID: PMC10957238 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Why are some individuals better at recognizing faces? Uncovering the neural mechanisms supporting face recognition ability has proven elusive. To tackle this challenge, we used a multimodal data-driven approach combining neuroimaging, computational modeling, and behavioral tests. We recorded the high-density electroencephalographic brain activity of individuals with extraordinary face recognition abilities-super-recognizers-and typical recognizers in response to diverse visual stimuli. Using multivariate pattern analyses, we decoded face recognition abilities from 1 s of brain activity with up to 80% accuracy. To better understand the mechanisms subtending this decoding, we compared representations in the brains of our participants with those in artificial neural network models of vision and semantics, as well as with those involved in human judgments of shape and meaning similarity. Compared to typical recognizers, we found stronger associations between early brain representations of super-recognizers and midlevel representations of vision models as well as shape similarity judgments. Moreover, we found stronger associations between late brain representations of super-recognizers and representations of the artificial semantic model as well as meaning similarity judgments. Overall, these results indicate that important individual variations in brain processing, including neural computations extending beyond purely visual processes, support differences in face recognition abilities. They provide the first empirical evidence for an association between semantic computations and face recognition abilities. We believe that such multimodal data-driven approaches will likely play a critical role in further revealing the complex nature of idiosyncratic face recognition in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Faghel-Soubeyrand
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
- Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Meike Ramon
- Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Eva Bamps
- Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven ON5, Belgium
| | - Matteo Zoia
- Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern 3008, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Woodhams
- Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H2V 2S9, Canada
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Hills Building, Edgbaston Park Rd, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | | | - Roberto Caldara
- Département de Psychology, Université de Fribourg, Fribourg CH-1700, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Gosselin
- Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Ian Charest
- Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H2V 2S9, Canada
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10
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Boudry L, Nador JD, Ramon M. Determinants of Face Recognition: The Role of Target Prevalence and Similarity. J Cogn 2024; 7:27. [PMID: 38405634 PMCID: PMC10885834 DOI: 10.5334/joc.339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies of facial identity processing typically assess perception (via matching) and/or memory (via recognition), with experimental designs differing with respect to one important aspect: Target Prevalence. Some designs include "target absent" (TA) among "target present" (TP) trials. In visual search tasks, TA trials shift an observer's decisional criterion towards a stricter one, increasing misses. However, decisional biases will differ between individuals and across an individual's decisions as well. In this way, excluding TA trials ensures comparable levels of expectation and thus a more controlled decisional bias both within and between observers by not considering correct rejections and false alarms. However, TA trials may occur, e.g., in police line-ups, where it is important to consider observers' face recognition ability net of the potential biases introduced by TA and TP trials. And, while these have been investigated in numerous other stimulus domains, their effects have not yet been extended to face recognition. We therefore sought to fill this void by testing different versions of the previously established Models Memory Test, which measures old/new recognition of experimentally learned facial identities. Our study found significant expectation effects, driven by target prevalence that persist even given prevalence changes. This implies that face recognition - even measured with naturalistic changes - is influenced by prior perceptual decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Boudry
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey D. Nador
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Meike Ramon
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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11
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Nordt M, Gomez J, Natu VS, Rezai AA, Finzi D, Kular H, Grill-Spector K. Longitudinal development of category representations in ventral temporal cortex predicts word and face recognition. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8010. [PMID: 38049393 PMCID: PMC10696026 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43146-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Regions in ventral temporal cortex that are involved in visual recognition of categories like words and faces undergo differential development during childhood. However, categories are also represented in distributed responses across high-level visual cortex. How distributed category representations develop and if this development relates to behavioral changes in recognition remains largely unknown. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to longitudinally measure the development of distributed responses across ventral temporal cortex to 10 categories in school-age children over several years. Our results reveal both strengthening and weakening of category representations with age, which was mainly driven by changes across category-selective voxels. Representations became particularly more distinct for words in the left hemisphere and for faces bilaterally. Critically, distinctiveness for words and faces across category-selective voxels in left and right lateral ventral temporal cortex, respectively, predicted individual children's word and face recognition performance. These results suggest that the development of distributed representations in ventral temporal cortex has behavioral ramifications and advance our understanding of prolonged cortical development during childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Nordt
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany.
| | - Jesse Gomez
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Vaidehi S Natu
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alex A Rezai
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dawn Finzi
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Holly Kular
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kalanit Grill-Spector
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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12
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Bobak AK, Jones AL, Hilker Z, Mestry N, Bate S, Hancock PJB. Data-driven studies in face identity processing rely on the quality of the tests and data sets. Cortex 2023; 166:348-364. [PMID: 37481857 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
There is growing interest in how data-driven approaches can help understand individual differences in face identity processing (FIP). However, researchers employ various FIP tests interchangeably, and it is unclear whether these tests 1) measure the same underlying ability/ies and processes (e.g., confirmation of identity match or elimination of identity match) 2) are reliable, 3) provide consistent performance for individuals across tests online and in laboratory. Together these factors would influence the outcomes of data-driven analyses. Here, we asked 211 participants to perform eight tests frequently reported in the literature. We used Principal Component Analysis and Agglomerative Clustering to determine factors underpinning performance. Importantly, we examined the reliability of these tests, relationships between them, and quantified participant consistency across tests. Our findings show that participants' performance can be split into two factors (called here confirmation and elimination of an identity match) and that participants cluster according to whether they are strong on one of the factors or equally on both. We found that the reliability of these tests is at best moderate, the correlations between them are weak, and that the consistency in participant performance across tests and is low. Developing reliable and valid measures of FIP and consistently scrutinising existing ones will be key for drawing meaningful conclusions from data-driven studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Bobak
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, United Kingdom.
| | - Alex L Jones
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom.
| | - Zoe Hilker
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie Mestry
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Bate
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J B Hancock
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, United Kingdom
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13
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Dunn JD, Towler A, Kemp RI, White D. Selecting police super-recognisers. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283682. [PMID: 37195905 PMCID: PMC10191310 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
People vary in their ability to recognise faces. These individual differences are consistent over time, heritable and associated with brain anatomy. This implies that face identity processing can be improved in applied settings by selecting high performers-'super-recognisers' (SRs)-but these selection processes are rarely available for scientific scrutiny. Here we report an 'end-to-end' selection process used to establish an SR 'unit' in a large police force. Australian police officers (n = 1600) completed 3 standardised face identification tests and we recruited 38 SRs from this cohort to complete 10 follow-up tests. As a group, SRs were 20% better than controls in lab-based tests of face memory and matching, and equalled or surpassed accuracy of forensic specialists that currently perform face identification tasks for police. Individually, SR accuracy was variable but this problem was mitigated by adopting strict selection criteria. SRs' superior abilities transferred only partially to body identity decisions where the face was not visible, and they were no better than controls at deciding which visual scene that faces had initially been encountered in. Notwithstanding these important qualifications, we conclude that super-recognisers are an effective solution to improving face identity processing in applied settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Dunn
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alice Towler
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - David White
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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14
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Mayer M, Ramon M. Improving forensic perpetrator identification with Super-Recognizers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220580120. [PMID: 37159477 PMCID: PMC10193965 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220580120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
About a decade ago, Super-Recognizers (SRs) were first described as individuals with exceptional face identity processing abilities. Since then, various tests have been developed or adapted to assess individuals' abilities and identify SRs. The extant literature suggests that SRs may be beneficial in police tasks requiring individual identification. However, in reality, the performance of SRs has never been examined using authentic forensic material. This not only limits the external validity of test procedures used to identify SRs, but also claims concerning their deployment in policing. Here, we report the first-ever investigation of SRs' ability to identify perpetrators using authentic case material. We report the data of 73 SRs and 45 control participants. These include (a) performance on three challenging tests of face identity processing recommended by Ramon (2021) for SR identification; (b) performance for perpetrator identification using four CCTV sequences depicting five perpetrators and police line-ups created for criminal investigation purposes. Our findings demonstrate that the face identity processing tests used here are valid in measuring such abilities and identifying SRs. Moreover, SRs excel at perpetrator identification relative to control participants, with more correct perpetrator identifications, the better their performance across lab tests. These results provide external validity for the recently proposed diagnostic framework and its tests used for SR identification (Ramon, 2021). This study provides the first empirical evidence that SRs identified using these measures can be beneficial for forensic perpetrator identification. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for law enforcement, whose procedures can be improved via a human-centric approach centered around individuals with superior abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Mayer
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (Knowledge Media Research Center), 72076Tübingen, Germany
| | - Meike Ramon
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Lausanne, 1015Lausanne, Switzerland
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15
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Baker KA, Stabile VJ, Mondloch CJ. Stable individual differences in unfamiliar face identification: Evidence from simultaneous and sequential matching tasks. Cognition 2023; 232:105333. [PMID: 36508992 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Matching identity in images of unfamiliar faces is difficult: Images of the same person can look different and images of different people can look similar. Recent studies have capitalized on individual differences in the ability to distinguish match (same ID) vs. mismatch (different IDs) face pairs to inform models of face recognition. We addressed two significant gaps in the literature by examining the stability of individual differences in both sensitivity to identity and response bias. In Study 1, 210 participants completed a battery of four tasks in each of two sessions separated by one week. Tasks varied in protocol (same/different, lineup, sorting) and stimulus characteristics (low vs. high within-person variability in appearance). In Study 2, 148 participants completed a battery of three tasks in a single session. Stimuli were presented simultaneously on some trials and sequentially on others, introducing short-term memory demands. Principal components analysis revealed two components that were stable across time and tasks: sensitivity to identity and bias. Analyses of response times suggest that individual differences in bias reflect decision-making processes. We discuss the implications of our findings in applied settings and for models of face recognition.
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16
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The merits and future of data deep-dives for cognitive neuroscience. Neuropsychologia 2022; 176:108394. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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17
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Dunn JD, Varela VPL, Nicholls VI, Papinutto M, White D, Miellet S. Face-Information Sampling in Super-Recognizers. Psychol Sci 2022; 33:1615-1630. [PMID: 36044042 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221096320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Perceptual processes underlying individual differences in face-recognition ability remain poorly understood. We compared visual sampling of 37 adult super-recognizers-individuals with superior face-recognition ability-with that of 68 typical adult viewers by measuring gaze position as they learned and recognized unfamiliar faces. In both phases, participants viewed faces through "spotlight" apertures that varied in size, with face information restricted in real time around their point of fixation. We found higher accuracy in super-recognizers at all aperture sizes-showing that their superiority does not rely on global sampling of face information but is also evident when they are forced to adopt piecemeal sampling. Additionally, super-recognizers made more fixations, focused less on eye region, and distributed their gaze more than typical viewers. These differences were most apparent when learning faces and were consistent with trends we observed across the broader ability spectrum, suggesting that they are reflective of factors that vary dimensionally in the broader population.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Dunn
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales
| | | | - Victoria I Nicholls
- Faculty of Science & Technology, Bournemouth University.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge
| | | | - David White
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales
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18
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Linka M, Broda MD, Alsheimer T, de Haas B, Ramon M. Characteristic fixation biases in Super-Recognizers. J Vis 2022; 22:17. [PMID: 35900724 PMCID: PMC9344214 DOI: 10.1167/jov.22.8.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotypical observers show large and reliable individual differences in gaze behavior along several semantic object dimensions. Individual gaze behavior toward faces has been linked to face identity processing, including that of neurotypical observers. Here, we investigated potential gaze biases in Super-Recognizers (SRs), individuals with exceptional face identity processing skills. Ten SRs, identified with a novel conservative diagnostic framework, and 43 controls freely viewed 700 complex scenes depicting more than 5000 objects. First, we tested whether SRs and controls differ in fixation biases along four semantic dimensions: faces, text, objects being touched, and bodies. Second, we tested potential group differences in fixation biases toward eyes and mouths. Finally, we tested whether SRs fixate closer to the theoretical optimal fixation point for face identification. SRs showed a stronger gaze bias toward faces and away from text and touched objects, starting from the first fixation onward. Further, SRs spent a significantly smaller proportion of first fixations and dwell time toward faces on mouths but did not differ in dwell time or first fixations devoted to eyes. Face fixation of SRs also fell significantly closer to the theoretical optimal fixation point for identification, just below the eyes. Our findings suggest that reliable superiority for face identity processing is accompanied by early fixation biases toward faces and preferred saccadic landing positions close to the theoretical optimum for face identification. We discuss future directions to investigate the functional basis of individual fixation behavior and face identity processing ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Linka
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Tamara Alsheimer
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Lausanne, Institute of Psychology, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin de Haas
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Meike Ramon
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Lausanne, Institute of Psychology, Lausanne, Switzerland
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19
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Nador JD, Vomland M, Thielgen MM, Ramon M. Face Recognition in Police Officers:Who Fits the Bill? FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL: REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2022.100267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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20
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Bennetts RJ, Johnson Humphrey P, Zielinska P, Bate S. Face masks versus sunglasses: limited effects of time and individual differences in the ability to judge facial identity and social traits. Cogn Res Princ Implic 2022; 7:18. [PMID: 35171394 PMCID: PMC8850515 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-022-00371-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Some research indicates that face masks impair identification and other judgements such as trustworthiness. However, it is unclear whether those effects have abated over time as individuals adjust to widespread use of masks, or whether performance is related to individual differences in face recognition ability. This study examined the effect of masks and sunglasses on face matching and social judgements (trustworthiness, competence, attractiveness). In Experiment 1, 135 participants across three different time points (June 2020-July 2021) viewed unedited faces and faces with masks, sunglasses, or both. Both masks and sunglasses similarly decreased matching performance. The effect of masks on social judgements varied depending on the judgement and whether the face was depicted with sunglasses. There was no effect of timepoint on any measure, suggesting that the effects of masks have not diminished. In Experiment 2, 12 individuals with developmental prosopagnosia (DP) and 10 super-recognisers (SRs) completed the same tasks. The effect of masks on identity matching was reduced in SRs, whereas the effects of masks and sunglasses for the DP group did not differ from controls. These findings indicate that face masks significantly affect face perception, depending on the availability of other facial information, and are not modified by exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel J Bennetts
- Division of Psychology, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK.
| | - Poppy Johnson Humphrey
- Division of Psychology, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Paulina Zielinska
- Division of Psychology, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Sarah Bate
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
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21
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Hahn CA, Tang LL, Yates AN, Phillips PJ. Forensic facial examiners versus super-recognizers: Evaluating behavior beyond accuracy. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 36:10.1002/acp.4003. [PMID: 38680453 PMCID: PMC11047140 DOI: 10.1002/acp.4003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated the detailed, behavioral properties of face matching performance in two specialist groups: forensic facial examiners and super-recognizers. Both groups compare faces to determine identity with high accuracy and outperform the general population. Typically, facial examiners are highly trained; super-recognizers rely on natural ability. We found distinct behaviors between these two groups. Examiners used the full 7-point identity judgment scale (-3: "different"; +3: "same"). Super-recognizers' judgments clustered toward highly confident decisions. Examiners' judgments for same- and different-identities were symmetric across the scale midpoint (0); super-recognizers' judgments were not. Examiners showed higher identity judgment agreement than super-recognizers. Despite these qualitative differences, both groups showed insight into their own accuracy: more confident people and those who rated the task to be easier tended to be more accurate. Altogether, we show to better understand and interpret judgments according to the nature of someone's facial expertise, evaluations should assess more than accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina A. Hahn
- Information Access Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Liansheng Larry Tang
- Statistics and Data Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Amy N. Yates
- Information Access Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - P. Jonathon Phillips
- Information Access Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
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22
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Fysh MC, Ramon M. Accurate but inefficient: Standard face identity matching tests fail to identify prosopagnosia. Neuropsychologia 2021; 165:108119. [PMID: 34919897 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the number of face identity matching tests in circulation has grown considerably and these are being increasingly utilized to study individual differences in face cognition. Although many of these tests were designed for testing typical observers, recent studies have begun to utilize general-purpose tests for studying specific, atypical populations (e.g., super-recognizers and individuals with prosopagnosia). In this study, we examined the capacity of four tests requiring binary face-matching decisions to study individual differences between healthy observers. Uniquely, we used performance of the patient PS (Rossion, 2018), a well-documented case of acquired prosopagnosia (AP), as a benchmark. Two main findings emerged: (i) PS could exhibit typical rates of accuracy in all tests; (ii) compared to age-matched controls and when considering both accuracy and speed to account for potential trade-offs, only the KFMT - but not the EFCT, PICT or GFMT - was able to detect PS's severe impairment. These findings reflect the importance of considering both accuracy and response times to measure individual differences in face matching, and the need for comparing tests in terms of their sensitivity, when used as a measure of human cognition and brain functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Fysh
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Meike Ramon
- Applied Face Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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23
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White D, Wayne T, Varela VPL. Partitioning natural face image variability emphasises within-identity over between-identity representation for understanding accurate recognition. Cognition 2021; 219:104966. [PMID: 34861575 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Accurately recognising faces enables social interactions. In recent years it has become clear that people's accuracy differs markedly depending on viewer's familiarity with a face and their individual skill, but the cognitive and neural bases of these accuracy differences are not understood. We examined cognitive representations underlying these accuracy differences by measuring similarity ratings to natural facial image variation. Natural variation was sampled from uncontrolled images on the internet to reflect the appearance of faces as they are encountered in daily life. Using image averaging, and inspired by the computation of Analysis of Variance, we partitioned this variation into differences between faces (between-identity variation) and differences between photos of the same face (within-identity variation). This allowed us to compare modulation of these two sources of variation attributable to: (i) a person's familiarity with a face and, (ii) their face recognition ability. Contrary to prevailing accounts of human face recognition and perceptual learning, we found that modulation of within-identity variation - rather than between-identity variation - was associated with high accuracy. First, familiarity modulated similarity ratings to within-identity variation more than to between-face variation. Second, viewers that are extremely accurate in face recognition - 'super-recognisers' - differed from typical perceivers mostly in their ratings of within-identity variation, compared to between-identity variation. In a final computational analysis, we found evidence that transformations of between- and within-identity variation make separable contributions to perceptual expertise in face recognition. We conclude that inter- and intra-individual accuracy differences primarily arise from differences in the representation of within-identity image variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David White
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, Australia.
| | - Tanya Wayne
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, Australia
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24
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Thielgen MM, Schade S, Bosé C. Face processing in police service: the relationship between laboratory-based assessment of face processing abilities and performance in a real-world identity matching task. COGNITIVE RESEARCH-PRINCIPLES AND IMPLICATIONS 2021; 6:54. [PMID: 34351527 PMCID: PMC8342700 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-021-00317-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated whether police officers’ performance in searching for unfamiliar faces in a video-based real-world task is predicted by laboratory-based face processing tests that are typically used to assess individual differences in face processing abilities. Specifically, perceptual performance in the field was operationalized via the identification of target individuals in self-made close-circuit television (CCTV) video tapes. Police officers’ abilities in the laboratory were measured by the Cambridge Face Memory Test long form (CFMT+). We hypothesized that the CFMT+ predicts individual differences in the CCTV task performance. A total of N = 186 police officers of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Police participated in the study (i.e., N = 139 novice and advanced cadets with either 3 months, 15 months or 24 months of pre-service experience; N = 47 experienced police officers with three years of pre-service experience and at least two years of full-service experience, who participated in the assessment center of the special police forces, specifically the surveillance and technical unit). Results revealed that the CFMT+ explained variance in the CCTV task. In sample 1, CFMT+ scores predicted hits, but not false alarms. In contrast, in sample 2, CFMT+ scores were correlated with both hits and false alarms. From a theoretical perspective, we discuss factors that might explain CCTV task performance. From a practical perspective, we recommend that personnel selection processes investigating individual differences of police officers’ face processing abilities should comprise of two steps. At first, laboratory-based tests of face processing abilities should be applied. Subsequently, to validate laboratory-based individual differences in face processing abilities, we recommend that work samples such as CCTV tasks from the field should be added.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus M Thielgen
- Department I - University Education, Area of Study VIII - Social Sciences, Rhineland-Palatinate Police University, Post Box 1111, 55482, Hahn-Airport, Germany.
| | - Stefan Schade
- Department I - University Education, Area of Study VIII - Social Sciences, Rhineland-Palatinate Police University, Post Box 1111, 55482, Hahn-Airport, Germany
| | - Carolin Bosé
- Department I - University Education, Area of Study VIII - Social Sciences, Rhineland-Palatinate Police University, Post Box 1111, 55482, Hahn-Airport, Germany
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25
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Nador JD, Zoia M, Pachai MV, Ramon M. Psychophysical profiles in super-recognizers. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13184. [PMID: 34162959 PMCID: PMC8222339 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92549-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial identity matching ability varies widely, ranging from prosopagnosic individuals (who exhibit profound impairments in face cognition/processing) to so-called super-recognizers (SRs), possessing exceptional capacities. Yet, despite the often consequential nature of face matching decisions—such as identity verification in security critical settings—ability assessments tendentially rely on simple performance metrics on a handful of heterogeneously related subprocesses, or in some cases only a single measured subprocess. Unfortunately, methodologies of this ilk leave contributions of stimulus information to observed variations in ability largely un(der)specified. Moreover, they are inadequate for addressing the qualitative or quantitative nature of differences between SRs’ abilities and those of the general population. Here, therefore, we sought to investigate individual differences—among SRs identified using a novel conservative diagnostic framework, and neurotypical controls—by systematically varying retinal availability, bandwidth, and orientation of faces’ spatial frequency content in two face matching experiments. Psychophysical evaluations of these parameters’ contributions to ability reveal that SRs more consistently exploit the same spatial frequency information, rather than suggesting qualitatively different profiles between control observers and SRs. These findings stress the importance of optimizing procedures for SR identification, for example by including measures quantifying the consistency of individuals’ behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Nador
- Department of Psychology, Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Fribourg, Rue P.-A. de Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Zoia
- Department of Psychology, Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Fribourg, Rue P.-A. de Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Matthew V Pachai
- Perceptual Neuroscience Laboratory, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Meike Ramon
- Department of Psychology, Applied Face Cognition Lab, University of Fribourg, Rue P.-A. de Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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26
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Rjosk S. Super-Recognizers in (Berlin) law enforcement. Neuropsychologia 2021; 158:107806. [PMID: 33667502 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Rjosk
- State Office of Criminal Investigation, Innovation and Science Management, Platz der Luftbrücke 6, 12101, Berlin, Germany.
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