Face memory is shaped more by fixation durations and sequences than by where observers fixate within the face

Studies suggest that fixating on the eyes is critical for face learning and memory but whether this differs with task demands or eye region definition is unclear. We investigated how viewing patterns during face encoding and recognition are shaped by eye region definitions, task demands, and the sequence of fixations. Using an old/new paradigm, participants (N = 108) viewed faces during both encoding and recognition phases under incidental and intentional learning tasks. Recognition accuracy did not differ between the two tasks. During encoding, longer fixation duration predicted lower odds of subsequently recognizing the face. During recognition, early fixations were beneficial for recognizing old faces, relative to later fixations. Importantly, the areas of interest (AOIs) did not differentially predict face memory for previously seen faces, and only significantly predicted categorization of a new face in the intentional task for the large eye region AOI. Most individuals maintained stable fixation patterns across encoding and recognition phases. Nevertheless, a substantial proportion switched viewing strategies across tasks during encoding, whereas fixation patterns during recognition were highly consistent across task demands. Together, these findings suggest that face memory is shaped more by how fixation durations and sequences unfold over time than by where observers fixate within faces.