Abstract
BackgroundUnfamiliar face processing is an ability that varies considerably between individuals. Numerous studies have aimed to identify its underlying determinants using controlled experimental procedures. While such tests can isolate variables that influence face processing, they usually involve somewhat unrealistic situations and optimized face images as stimulus material. As a consequence, the extent to which the performance observed under laboratory settings is informative for predicting real-life proficiency remains unclear.ResultsWe present normative data for two ecologically valid but underused tests of face matching: the Yearbook Test (YBT) and the Facial Identity Card Sorting Test (FICST). The YBT (n = 252) measures identity matching across substantial age-related changes in facial appearance, while the FICST (n = 218) assesses the ability to process unfamiliar facial identity despite superficial image variations. To determine the predictive value of both tests, a subsample of our cohort (n = 181) also completed a commonly used test of face recognition and two tests of face perception (the long form of the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT+), the Expertise in Facial Comparison Test (EFCT) and the Person Identification Challenge Test (PICT)).ConclusionsFocusing on the top performers identified independently per test, we made two important observations: 1) YBT and FICST performance can predict CFMT+ scores and vice versa; and 2) EFCT and PICT scores neither reliably predict superior performance in ecologically meaningful and challenging tests of face matching, nor in the most commonly used test of face recognition. These findings emphasize the necessity for using challenging and ecologically relevant, and thus highly sensitive, tasks of unfamiliar face processing to identify high-performing individuals in the normal population.
Highlights
Unfamiliar face processing is an ability that varies considerably between individuals
We describe how performance measured by these tests relates to that observed on more commonly used tests of face recognition (the long form of the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT+)) and perception
Asterisks indicate significant correlations (Bonferroni-corrected; p < .005); note that for the FICST, PICT and EFCT lower values indicate better performance CFMT+ long form of the Cambridge Face Memory Test, EFCT Expertise in Facial Comparison Test, FICST Facial Identity Card Sorting Test, PICT Person Identification Challenge Test, YBT Yearbook Test we aimed to provide normative data for the YBT (Bruck et al, 1991) and the FICST (Jenkins et al, 2011)
Summary
Unfamiliar face processing is an ability that varies considerably between individuals. Numerous studies have aimed to identify its underlying determinants using controlled experimental procedures While such tests can isolate variables that influence face processing, they usually involve somewhat unrealistic situations and optimized face images as stimulus material. High performance levels are observed in particular for the processing of faces of individuals encountered repeatedly in everyday life—those that are personally familiar to us (for a review see Ramon & Gobbini, 2018). Investigation of the abilities of SRs can provide valuable information for the optimization of automatic face processing or deployment of personnel in security-critical settings (Ramon et al, 2019a, 2019b), such as criminal investigation (Ramon, 2018a)
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