Cognition And Law Flashcards
What is the feature theory of face recognition?
Theory focuses on the analysis of individual features. States this is the most important for recognition.
What are the processes involved in face recognition?
Face recognition: recognition but no identification
Face identification: stating who it is
Face recall: from memory, verbally describing or drawing
What is the feature theory also known as?
The bottom-up theory: this is when cues from the stimulus is analysed by the brain.
These visual cues (features, textures, light and dark) enable recognition
Feature theory States that faces are identified from little information. Name and outline the supporting study.
Sadr et al
- 3 conditions: face unchanged, eyes missing and eyebrows missing.
- Recall was significantly worse when eyebrows missing bs eyes.
- Particular feature contributes in an important way to recognition.
Feature theory states features are processed independently and in sequence. Name and outline a supporting study.
Bradshaw and Wallace
- constructed pairs of faces, with differences in features, using Identikit
- quicker response if there were more different features between pairs
- more differences between pairs, faster response
Feature theory states familiar and unfamiliar faces are recognised differently. Name and outline the supporting study.
Ellis et al
- unfamiliar faces -> external features (hair and face shape); external features ore likely to change
- familiar faces -> internal features (eyes and nose); internal features more reliable
Evaluate the feature-based model of face recognition.
It is oversimplified; Other studies suggest it is a complex process.
- clinical studies - no difficulty naming and describing, but cognition requires more
- faces must be stored with emotional and semantic information along with features
Name and outline a study which suggest that feature theory is oversimplified.
Bruce and Valentine - scrambled faces
- feature configuration altered increasing identification time
- configuration important: if only features important, feature location should not matter
Name and outline a clinical study which suggest that feature theory is oversimplified.
Capgras syndrome
- delusional disorder - people they know replaced by doubles
- recognition occurs (cognitive response) but no emotional response (believes them to be a double)
What is the holistic theory of face recognition?
A sequential model for recognition proposed by Bruce and Young
What are the stages of the sequential model?
- Familiar face visually encoded
- Sensory information taken from face (structurally encoded)
- Facial Recognition Unit (FRUs) activated - stored in the brain and contains templates of all faces encountered
- Encoded information matches FRUs then PIN is activated
- Personal Identity Node (PIN) stores semantic information
- Information may activate name
What is the prediction of the holistic model?
To generate a name, the PIN must first be activated
Name and describe a study which supported the holistic model?
Young et al
- Investigated difficulties in face recognition experienced in everyday life
- Out of 1008 recorded incidents, there were no reports of naming individuals without knowing other information about the person
- Field study over 8 weeks; diary writing task
Name and describe a study which supports the sequential nature of the holistic model?
Flude et al
- Brain damaged patients identified significant amounts 85% of occupations (PIN) but could only name 15% of faces
- Shows name stored separately
- Shows PIN is activated before name generation
Name an describe a study which shows familiar and unfamiliar faces are processed differently?
(Holistic model)
Malone et al
- Double dissociation provides evidence
- One patient could recognise famous faces but not unfamiliar faces
- Another patient could match unfamiliar faces but had difficulty recognising famous faces
