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Developmental prosopagnosia and super-recognition: no special role for surface reflectance processing
Richard Russell1, Garga Chatterjee, Ken Nakayama
1Gettysburg College, Department of Psychology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA. rrussell@gettysburg.edu
Neuropsychologia
|December 24, 2011
Summary
This study found that face recognition ability in developmental prosopagnosia and super-recognizers is not linked to surface reflectance perception. Instead, integrated shape and pigmentation information processing in neural circuits underlies face recognition capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Human Perception
- Neuropsychology
Background:
- Face recognition relies on both shape and surface reflectance cues.
- Developmental prosopagnosia (face blindness) and super-recognition represent extremes in face recognition ability.
- Previous theories suggested reflectance perception deficits/strengths might explain these variations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if variations in face recognition ability (developmental prosopagnosia, super-recognition) are due to differences in using shape versus surface reflectance cues.
- To test the hypothesis that reflectance perception is a key factor in face recognition expertise.
Main Methods:
- Administered face perception and recognition tests isolating shape and reflectance cues.
- Tested developmental prosopagnosics, super-recognizers, and control subjects.
- Analyzed the relationship between face recognition ability and the utilization of shape and reflectance information.
Main Results:
- Face recognition ability was unrelated to the relative use of shape and pigmentation cues across all tested groups.
- Individuals proficient in using shape cues were also proficient with reflectance cues, and vice versa.
- No evidence supported reflectance perception ability as the primary cause of variation in face recognition.
Conclusions:
- The findings do not support the hypothesis that surface reflectance perception variations underlie differences in face recognition.
- Face recognition ability appears to be associated with neural circuits that integrate shape and pigmentation information.
- This suggests a more holistic processing mechanism for face recognition rather than cue-specific strengths.
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