Likability of targets and distractors in facial recognition

Target and distractor likability were examined in two studies of face memory. Subjects studied faces that had been rated by others as likable or unlikable . The test required subjects to identify the previously studied face in an array of four faces, where the distractor faces were either likable or unlikable . Overall, unlikable targets were more readily recognized than likable targets. In Experiment 2, distractor likability appeared to have little effect on correct recognition when response bias was ruled out. However, in Experiment 2, arrays involving all new faces showed that likable faces were more apt to be falsely identified as targets. In general, these results seem more in accord with an interpretation based on distinctiveness instead of affective responses.