“Often, if a film features two characters who look vaguely similar – for instance both are tall, dark-haired, middle-aged men – I will find myself confusing the two, as I struggle to form a distinct impression of each of their faces. Maybe it’s to do with the fact I’m male. New research by Ryan McBain has built on previous, more equivocal studies by showing that women are better than men at spotting a face in a display, and better at distinguishing between faces.”
In an initial experiment, 35 women and 27 men had to say as fast as possible where on a screen a line drawing of a face appeared. The drawing was basic, showing only the outline of eye-brows, a nose, mouth and chin, and was embedded among other random lines. The female participants were more accurate than the men for this face-spotting task, whereas both sexes performed equally well during a control task that required them to spot trees.
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hormones love – weare good at recognizing handsome actors!
Hm. I’m female, but I’m horrible at remembering faces (not sure about processing them). Though that may have to do with me having a form of autism.
I’ll remember bits and pieces of a face, but never the full thing. I can recreate a conversation in my mind, remembering the surroundings, what the other person was wearing, the gist of what was said — but as soon as I try to ‘look’ at the face of the other person (ie, to focus on that part of the memory), it goes blurry. Really strange. I guess faces are stored in a different part of the brain from other visual input.
So you’re male today, Phillis? Are you sure?
Thats pulled from the original site where this article is featured. (See the link)
Sorry if I lead you to believe they were my words – like Derrens’ dirty undies – I stole them for my own greedy purpose which is why I am such a horrible person.
You’ve photoshopped mad-eyes Dawkins’ facial expression in that photo, very naughty.
I’m wired a bit strange… I’m pretty good at drawing faces, and I’ve mastered the art of getting a good likeness from long periods spent in life drawing class, but when it comes to remembering people I got introduced to last week, I resort to using “you” or “thingy” or “who the **** are you?”
Unless it’s someone I encounter as regular as clockwork, my mind automatically erases all knowledge of that person to free up brainspace. This would be a bit more forgivable if I used that brainspace for something else, but I don’t.
I live in dread of those social occasions when people ask me to introduce them to work colleagues or people I met at college. Usually my cue for an extended toilet break…
I also have trouble with names and faces. Facial hair helps, but then I think everyone with a beard is the same person. Same goes for guys with long hair. They are all the same guy. It’s easier if people wear similar things often, because then they can be identified by that.
Berber Anna – I nearly missed that completely… Phillis has actually declared a gender!
All those sleepless nights trying to figure him/her/it out are over! Now I can worry about other things…
Hmm..not sure how i´m wired then…awefull at remembering a total face ..good at some detailbits and other points i focus on…but when i have to draw a face it´s no problem…also face spotting out of nothing comes easily…help, doc!
Nope, you’re out of luck, Flapjack.
Gender can be almost as bad as faces. Sometimes I have trouble identifying someone’s gender at first glance.
hey, maybe phillis is the guy in the piccie…
flapjack: Not really, since quotation marks and a link have been added since I made that comment. Drat, still in the dark… male/female/both/neither? Phillis is a mystery… *grins*
SGC/ Berber Anna – Are we still of the opinion that Phillis’s gender is between him/her/it and his/her/its doctor then?
I just hate having to resort to multiple pronouns!
IMO anyone wearing a dress or skirt is a girl. I’m simple like that. Once I went to a charity drag show and forgot what was going on multiple times because since everyone was in a dress they were all girls, right?
So in conclusion, whenever Phillis wears a dress, Phillis is a girl no matter what pronoun is used. In my small brain, anyway. Similarly, anyone with buzz-cut hair and wearing jeans is male, irregardless of names or pronouns.
SGC: I wonder what you’d make of me, then. I have very long hair (down to my butt), but I like wearing a sort of feminine version of male evening wear (black trousers, form-fitting dress jacket, tie, hat). Am I boy or girl, in your eyes? ;o)
Depends on the angle I looked at you from, because girls do have breasts I guess, but it’s not like I would stress over it or anything. Your name gives it away, though.
Also you’re bad at faces! Oh crap, you MUST be a guy!
I think we need another inoffensive pronoun for androgenous people, transvestites and other people of indeterminate gender that isn’t “it”… this is all getting way too confusing. Any suggestions?
flapjack: I’ve seen several of those in use online. ‘Zhe’ is often used instead of s/he, ‘hir’ instead of him/her. Though to be honest, for me, the weird pronouns only add to the confusion. I try to avoid pronouns altogether when I’m unsure which one I should use.
SGC: I’m a guy with boobs? Cool.
P
In case I confused anyone, though, I’m just a girl who happens to dig the androgynous dandy style that’s been en vogue for a while. And who is bad at faces. ;o)
Berber Anna- Like they say, if it didn’t exist, you’d have to invent it. Thanks for the suggestions but now you mention it, they don’t really make much sense to those who don’t know them. Perhaps I’m just better off using the word Phillis like you said. And that’s the term I’ll adopt for all androginous types from now on
Sign me up as another girl who’s bad at faces. Funnily enough, people often think I’m “good” at faces because I tend to notice when someone’s had their hair cut or got new glasses or something like that, but that’s actually because I’m using haircuts/glasses to identify them more than their features, I think.
Pronouns are far too much effort, let’s identify everyone by what they are wearing and be done with it. It doesn’t matter unless you want to make a move on them anyway.
Default gender for internet is male unless you announce otherwise, FYI.
I have a theory- I think Phyllis must be so incredibly sexy, that both males and females are equally attracted to him/her. Therefore, s/he doesn’t want to declare him/herself one way or another so as not to reduce the sexual opportunities s/he may have
@nicosia…good theory…if that´s the evolution on how to have maximum chances of pro-creating and surviving…then maybe the pope had a point afterall
Of course women are better at eveything- full stop !!
I sometimes wonder … will I recognize Derren when I encounter him some time in the future … LOL
Today I recognized the face of a male repairman who was at my home 2 years ago .. (nope, nothing to do with a strange face or attraction).
I mix up names and faces at times, but I’m good with faces (where to place the face .. where have I met him/her .. that’s not always working out).
I hardly recognized my own face at times in the mirror .. it keeps changing .. surreal! But by now I sort of now which faces I have so I sort of got familiar with them .. still … who are they?
Also, catching an unexpected glance of your own face in a mirror somewhere can be surreal … it’s not me who I see in that face then .. so not corresponding to the inside … (the escaped luun e.g. .. that’s not me ..)
I NEVER forget a face. It can be a blessing AND a curse.
Nopke- I once caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror and didn’t realize it was me for a second… It was a really big mirror, and the way it was set up, looked like another room at first glance. I thought to myself “That chick is CUTE! She looks like Grace Slick circa 1969!” and then I recognized it was ME I was looking at. I have had a huge ego ever since.
Maybe most men automatically have their gaze slightly lower than faces about 50% of the time – just a thought
For those of you who are confused about me – maybe this will help clear it up for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elCEbB5ThwQ&feature=related
Aw Anthony and The Johnsons, lovely. Always thought you were a boy. With a girl\’s name. We love you either way…
I meet a lot of people through my work and usually remember them when they return for another appointment but I’m not very good at recognising and distinguishing faces of similar looking people in films.