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Exploring the time course of face matching: Temporal constraints impair unfamiliar face identification under temporally unconstrained viewing

Ozbek, Muge, Bindemann, Markus (2011) Exploring the time course of face matching: Temporal constraints impair unfamiliar face identification under temporally unconstrained viewing. Vision Research, 51 (19). pp. 2145-2155. ISSN 0042-6989. (doi:10.1016/j.visres.2011.08.009) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:28182)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2011.08.009

Abstract

The identification of unfamiliar faces has been studied extensively with matching tasks, in which observers decide if pairs of photographs depict the same person (identity matches) or different people (mismatches). In experimental studies in this field, performance is usually self-paced under the assumption that this will encourage best-possible accuracy. Here, we examined the temporal characteristics of this task by limiting display times and tracking observers’ eye movements. Observers were required to make match/mismatch decisions to pairs of faces shown for 200, 500, 1000, or 2000 ms, or for an unlimited duration. Peak accuracy was reached within 2000 ms and two fixations to each face. However, intermixing exposure conditions produced a context effect that generally reduced accuracy on identity mismatch trials, even when unlimited viewing of faces was possible. These findings indicate that less than two seconds are required for face matching when exposure times are variable, but temporal constraints should be avoided altogether if accuracy is truly paramount. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.visres.2011.08.009
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Markus Bindemann
Date Deposited: 22 Sep 2011 14:27 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:06 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/28182 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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