Measurement of individual differences in face-identity processing abilities in older adults

Abstract

Background Face-identity processing declines with age. Few studies have examined whether face-identity processing abilities can be measured independently from general cognitive abilities in older adults (OA). This question has practical implications for the assessment of face-identity processing abilities in OA and theoretical implications for the notion of face processing as a specific ability. The present study examined the specificity of face memory and face matching abilities in OA aged 50 + . Methods Performance of younger adults (YA) and OA was measured on face tasks: Cambridge Face Memory Task (CFMT), the Glasgow Face Matching Task (GFMT), holistic processing; and tasks of general cognition: fluid intelligence, selective attention, and mental rotation. Data were analyzed using multiple regression models encompassing (i) the CFMT/GFMT and measures of general cognition; and (ii) all face processing tasks. Results Across the two age groups, models encompassing all face tasks were significant and accounted for more variance in the data than models encompassing the CFMT/GFMT and measures of general cognition. General cognitive abilities accounted for 17% of variance for the GFMT (p < 0.01) and 3% for the CFMT (p > 0.05). Discussion Our results suggest that face memory can be measured independently from general cognition using the CFMT in OA. Implications for the notion of a general face processing factor across the adult lifespan are discussed.

Effects of age on face perception: Reduced eye region discrimination ability but intact holistic processing.

“…The decline in face recognition ability with age has been consistently observed (Ferris et al, 1980; Germine et al, 2011; Lamont et al, 2005; Norton et al, 2009; Obermeyer et al, 2012; Smith & Winograd, 1978), and comparisons between younger (18–35) and older adults (65+) have been associated with large effect sizes (face learning and immediate memory, Cohen’s d = 1.46; delayed recognition, Cohen’s d = 1.77, Hildebrandt et al, 2010). These declines in face recognition ability in older adults are independent of general age-related cognitive decline (Boutet & Meinhardt-Injac, 2021; Boutet et al, 2015; Hildebrandt et al, 2011) and are more pronounced for upright faces than for other visual recognition tasks including objects (Boutet & Faubert, 2006; Meinhardt-Injac et al, 2014) and inverted faces (Boutet & Faubert, 2006). This suggests that age-related declines in general visual recognition and/or general perceptual abilities are unlikely to be the sole contributing factor(s) to worsening face recognition.…”

Age-related changes in size perception: A tale of three illusions

“…Over the past decades, researchers have documented empirical findings that shed light on the age-related changes along perceptual abilities. These changes involve a decline in various aspects of visual perception, including face perception (Boutet & Meinhardt, 2021;Stantic et al, 2021), contrast sensitivity at medium and high frequencies (Allard et al, 2013;Pardhan, 2004;Ross et al, 1985), perception of orientation (Fischer & Hartnegg, 2002;Pilz et al, 2020), color perception (Roy et al, 1991), some aspects of motion perception (Billino et al, 2008;Billino & Pilz, 2019) and more (for review, see Andersen, 2012;Owsley, 2011).…”

Chronotype and Time of Day Effects on a Famous Face Recognition Task with Dynamic Stimuli

“…As faces are stimuli of particular relevance to our species, it is important to develop studies that explore how chronobiological variables impact face perception. In fact, humans derive a wealth of information from faces, such as age (e.g., Liao et al, 2020), health (e.g., Axelsson et al, 2018), personality traits (e.g., Kachur et al, 2020), and identity (e.g., Boutet & Meinhardt-Injac, 2021). In our literature search, we were only able to find two articles that explored the effect of synchrony in memory for faces (Yaremenko et al, 2021a(Yaremenko et al, , 2021b.…”