The effect of face masks and sunglasses on identity and expression recognition with super-recognisers and typical observers

Noyes, E., Davis, J. P., Petrov, N., Gray, K. L.H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6071-4588 and Ritchie, K. L. (2021) The effect of face masks and sunglasses on identity and expression recognition with super-recognisers and typical observers. Royal Society Open Science, 8 (3). 201169. ISSN 2054-5703 doi: 10.1098/rsos.201169

Abstract/Summary

Face masks present a new challenge to face identification (here matching) and emotion recognition in Western cultures. Here we present the results of three experiments that test the effect of masks, and also the effect of sunglasses (an occlusion that individuals tend to have more experienced with) on 1) familiar face matching, 2) unfamiliar face matching, and 3) emotion categorisation. Occlusion reduced accuracy in all three tasks, with most errors in the mask condition, however there was little difference in performance for faces in masks compared to faces in sunglasses. Super-recognisers, people who are highly skilled at matching unconcealed faces, were impaired by occlusion, but at the group level, performed with higher accuracy than controls on all tasks. Results inform psychology theory with implications for everyday interactions, security, and policing in a mask wearing society.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/96696
Identification Number/DOI	10.1098/rsos.201169
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Perception and Action
Publisher	The Royal Society
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