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Published on: February 7, 2025
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Monkeys lack humanlike behavioral and neural inversion costs in face identity recognition
1Université de Lorraine, CNRS, IMoPA, Nancy F-54000, France; Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Service de neurologie, F-54000, France.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|October 5, 2025
Summary
Macaque monkeys do not show a performance decrease for inverted face recognition, unlike humans. This suggests macaques are not a valid model for studying human face identity recognition (FIR).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Primatology
Background:
- Human face identity recognition (FIR) involves a significant performance decrease with inverted faces.
- Macaque monkeys are frequently used as animal models to study the neural mechanisms of FIR.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review existing behavioral and neural studies on the effect of face inversion on FIR in macaques.
- To clarify the long-standing confusion regarding macaque performance on inverted face recognition.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical and critical review of cited behavioral and neural studies.
- Analysis of studies specifically testing the effect of inversion on face identity recognition in macaques.
Main Results:
- Confusion in the literature stems from studies showing general upright face preference, not specific FIR deficits.
- Studies confounding inversion effects with training or constancy do not accurately reflect FIR.
- Properly designed studies reveal no behavioral or neural cost for inverted face recognition in macaques.
Conclusions:
- Macaque monkeys do not exhibit the inversion effect characteristic of human FIR.
- The macaque is not a valid animal model for investigating the neural basis of human face identity recognition.
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