Individuals who are ‘super recognisers’ show superior performance on independent measures of face perception, face memory and face matching

Mirta Stantic; Zoe Pounder; Sarah Bate; Caroline Catmur; Geoffrey Bird

Individuals who are ‘super recognisers’ show superior performance on independent measures of face perception, face memory and face matching

Mirta Stantic^*, Zoe Pounder, Sarah Bate, Caroline Catmur, Geoffrey Bird

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Individuals who are superior at face recognition are described as ‘super recognisers’ (SRs). On standard face recognition tasks SRs outperform individuals who have typical face recognition ability. However, high accuracy on face recognition tasks may be driven by superior ability in one or more of a number of component processes including face perception, face matching, and face memory. The present study utilised the Oxford Face Matching Test (OFMT), and a novel analysis strategy, to derive independent measures of face perception, face matching and face memory. Thirty-two SRs and the same number of matched controls with typical face recognition ability undertook three face processing tasks: the OFMT, the Glasgow Face Matching Test and the Cambridge Face Memory Test. At the group level, SRs were more accurate than controls across all tasks and they reported greater face recognition ability. Of most importance, however, was the finding that SRs exhibited superior face perception, face matching and face memory. Collectively, these results suggest that SRs have superior ability across multiple independent face-related processes.

Original language	English
Journal	Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 30 Nov 2024

Cite this

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title = "Individuals who are {\textquoteleft}super recognisers{\textquoteright} show superior performance on independent measures of face perception, face memory and face matching",

abstract = "Individuals who are superior at face recognition are described as {\textquoteleft}super recognisers{\textquoteright} (SRs). On standard face recognition tasks SRs outperform individuals who have typical face recognition ability. However, high accuracy on face recognition tasks may be driven by superior ability in one or more of a number of component processes including face perception, face matching, and face memory. The present study utilised the Oxford Face Matching Test (OFMT), and a novel analysis strategy, to derive independent measures of face perception, face matching and face memory. Thirty-two SRs and the same number of matched controls with typical face recognition ability undertook three face processing tasks: the OFMT, the Glasgow Face Matching Test and the Cambridge Face Memory Test. At the group level, SRs were more accurate than controls across all tasks and they reported greater face recognition ability. Of most importance, however, was the finding that SRs exhibited superior face perception, face matching and face memory. Collectively, these results suggest that SRs have superior ability across multiple independent face-related processes.",

author = "Mirta Stantic and Zoe Pounder and Sarah Bate and Caroline Catmur and Geoffrey Bird",

year = "2024",

month = nov,

day = "30",

language = "English",

journal = "Psychonomic Bulletin & Review",

issn = "1069-9384",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Individuals who are ‘super recognisers’ show superior performance on independent measures of face perception, face memory and face matching

AU - Stantic, Mirta

AU - Pounder, Zoe

AU - Bate, Sarah

AU - Catmur, Caroline

AU - Bird, Geoffrey

PY - 2024/11/30

Y1 - 2024/11/30

N2 - Individuals who are superior at face recognition are described as ‘super recognisers’ (SRs). On standard face recognition tasks SRs outperform individuals who have typical face recognition ability. However, high accuracy on face recognition tasks may be driven by superior ability in one or more of a number of component processes including face perception, face matching, and face memory. The present study utilised the Oxford Face Matching Test (OFMT), and a novel analysis strategy, to derive independent measures of face perception, face matching and face memory. Thirty-two SRs and the same number of matched controls with typical face recognition ability undertook three face processing tasks: the OFMT, the Glasgow Face Matching Test and the Cambridge Face Memory Test. At the group level, SRs were more accurate than controls across all tasks and they reported greater face recognition ability. Of most importance, however, was the finding that SRs exhibited superior face perception, face matching and face memory. Collectively, these results suggest that SRs have superior ability across multiple independent face-related processes.

AB - Individuals who are superior at face recognition are described as ‘super recognisers’ (SRs). On standard face recognition tasks SRs outperform individuals who have typical face recognition ability. However, high accuracy on face recognition tasks may be driven by superior ability in one or more of a number of component processes including face perception, face matching, and face memory. The present study utilised the Oxford Face Matching Test (OFMT), and a novel analysis strategy, to derive independent measures of face perception, face matching and face memory. Thirty-two SRs and the same number of matched controls with typical face recognition ability undertook three face processing tasks: the OFMT, the Glasgow Face Matching Test and the Cambridge Face Memory Test. At the group level, SRs were more accurate than controls across all tasks and they reported greater face recognition ability. Of most importance, however, was the finding that SRs exhibited superior face perception, face matching and face memory. Collectively, these results suggest that SRs have superior ability across multiple independent face-related processes.

M3 - Article

SN - 1069-9384

JO - Psychonomic Bulletin & Review

JF - Psychonomic Bulletin & Review

ER -

Individuals who are ‘super recognisers’ show superior performance on independent measures of face perception, face memory and face matching

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