The Most Memorable Faces Are Highly Attractive or Highly Unattractive
Loading...
Mentor Information
Dr. Doug Rohrer
Description
What people think about when viewing faces can either enhance or diminish face recognition accuracy. In previous studies, for instance, conceptual judgments about a face (e.g., How intelligent is the face?) compared to perceptual judgments (e.g., How round is the face?) led to greater subsequent face recognition accuracy. In addition, prior research has shown that perceived attractiveness can influence face recognition accuracy, but the relationship between the perceived attractiveness of a face and its memorability is less definitive. In the study reported here, 35 undergraduate women at the University of South Florida made judgments about men’s faces and later completed a yes-no face recognition test. The results showed that judgment type (perceptual or conceptual) did not affect either face recognition accuracy (a failure to replicate) or perceived attractiveness. However, participants remembered the most and least attractive faces significantly better than faces rated as neutral; in other words, face recognition accuracy was a U-shaped function of its perceived attractiveness. Furthermore, and consistent with previous findings, recognition accuracy and recognition confidence were positively associated.
The Most Memorable Faces Are Highly Attractive or Highly Unattractive
What people think about when viewing faces can either enhance or diminish face recognition accuracy. In previous studies, for instance, conceptual judgments about a face (e.g., How intelligent is the face?) compared to perceptual judgments (e.g., How round is the face?) led to greater subsequent face recognition accuracy. In addition, prior research has shown that perceived attractiveness can influence face recognition accuracy, but the relationship between the perceived attractiveness of a face and its memorability is less definitive. In the study reported here, 35 undergraduate women at the University of South Florida made judgments about men’s faces and later completed a yes-no face recognition test. The results showed that judgment type (perceptual or conceptual) did not affect either face recognition accuracy (a failure to replicate) or perceived attractiveness. However, participants remembered the most and least attractive faces significantly better than faces rated as neutral; in other words, face recognition accuracy was a U-shaped function of its perceived attractiveness. Furthermore, and consistent with previous findings, recognition accuracy and recognition confidence were positively associated.
